TY - JOUR T1 - The fraction of long-term sickness absence attributable to work environmental factors: prospective results from the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine JO - Occup Environ Med SP - 487 LP - 489 DO - 10.1136/oem.2006.028563 VL - 64 IS - 7 AU - Karl Bang Christensen AU - Thomas Lund AU - Merete Labriola AU - Ebbe Villadsen AU - Ute Bültmann Y1 - 2007/07/01 UR - http://oem.bmj.com/content/64/7/487.abstract N2 - Objective: To examine the fraction of long-term sickness absence periods attributable to physical and psychosocial work environmental risk factors. Method: A random population sample was followed for 18 months in a national register of social transfer payments. Mutually adjusted hazard ratios for onset of long-term sickness absence and aetiological fractions were computed. Results: After mutual adjustment, no significant effect of psychosocial work environment factors remained. In men, 23% and 28% of long-term sickness absence were attributable to working mainly standing or squatting, and lifting or carrying loads, respectively. In women, 27% of long-term sickness absence was attributable to bending or twisting of the neck or back. Conclusions: Physical work environment exposures explained between 10% and 30% of long-term sickness absence. The potential for reducing long-term sickness absence is substantial. ER -