Table 4
Baseline characteristics that predicted sickness absence during the successive three months
| Characteristics at baseline | OR (95% CI) | p value† |
|---|---|---|
| The final equation in a forward stepwise logistic regression analysis, with likelihood ratio test used as the criterion for determining variables to be removed from the model. n=3938. | ||
| OR, odds ratio; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval. | ||
| †p values from likelihood ratio test if term (overall variable) removed. | ||
| ‡as the only activity. | ||
| ‡‡as the only activity or in combination with slow walks. | ||
| The overall rate of correct classification of the dependent variable (predicted outcome compared with the observed outcome) was estimated as 70.3%. | ||
| The factors not retained in the final equation were age, gender, the level of affective symptoms, sleep complaints, presence of widespread pain, daily consumption of cigarettes, amount of quantitative job demands, frequency of handling heavy objects at work, the extent to which the work required physical endurance, control over decisions at work, control over work pace, level of role conflicts at work, pleasant and relaxing organisational culture, rewards for good work, fairness in the immediate superior’s leadership, support from the immediate superior, threats and violence at work, harassment at work, and personal engagement in the work unit. | ||
| Working in a psychiatric ward | 0.014 | |
| No | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 1.39 (1.07 to 1.81) | |
| Working in a paediatric ward | 0.043 | |
| No | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 1.73 (1.03 to 2.91) | |
| Working in places that are not common to work in among nurses’ aides | 0.001 | |
| No | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 0.53 (0.36 to 0.77) | |
| Encouraging and supportive culture in the work unit | 0.002 | |
| Not at all, very little or rather little | 1.73 (1.28 to 2.34) | |
| To some extent | 0.99 (0.80 to 1.24) | |
| Rather much | 1.07 (0.89 to 1.28) | |
| Very much | 1.00 | |
| Suspicious culture in the work unit | 0.017 | |
| Not at all/very little | 1.00 | |
| Rather little | 0.80 (0.68 to 0.95) | |
| To some extent | 1.06 (0.84 to 1.33) | |
| Rather much or very much | 0.71 (0.47 to 1.07) | |
| Had (ever) changed work or work tasks because of pain | 0.009 | |
| No | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 1.30 (1.07 to 1.59) | |
| Had (ever) injured the neck in an accident | 0.001 | |
| No | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 1.62 (1.25 to 2.09) | |
| Intensity of musculoskeletal pain | 0.000 | |
| No pain | 1.00 | |
| A little | 1.41 (1.07 to 1.86) | |
| Rather intense | 1.82 (1.36 to 2.43) | |
| Intense | 2.43 (1.77 to 3.35) | |
| Fatigue | 0.001 | |
| Always fit | 1.00 | |
| Usually fit | 1.03 (0.67 to 1.59) | |
| Varied between fit and fatigued | 1.20 (0.78 to 1.85) | |
| Usually or always fatigued | 1.73 (1.09 to 2.75) | |
| Long term health problems (any kind) | 0.001 | |
| No problem | 1.00 | |
| Yes, but not bothered | 1.34 (1.02 to 1.74) | |
| Yes, somewhat bothered | 1.35 (1.12 to 1.62) | |
| Yes, a lot bothered | 1.59 (1.19 to 2.13) | |
| Regular physical exercise in the leisure time (previous 3 months) | 0.003 | |
| No regular exercise | 1.00 | |
| Slow walks‡ | 1.12 (0.90 to 1.38) | |
| Brisk walks‡‡ | 0.90 (0.73 to 1.10) | |
| Aerobics or gym‡‡ | 0.57 (0.40 to 0.82) | |
| Other activities or combinations | 1.05 (0.87 to 1.27) | |
