Table 2

Rate ratios (95% CIs) for short spells of sickness absence by levels of health, behavioural risks, and psychosocial factors (Poisson regression models adjusted for age, sex, and income)

Variable2-150Doctors
Rate ratio (95% CI)
Controls
Rate ratio (95% CI)
Health and behavioural risks:
 Self rated health (average or worse v good)1.55 (1.08 to 2.23)1.68 (1.44 to 1.95)
 Diagnosed illness (yesv no)1.45 (1.12 to 1.88)1.21 (1.08 to 1.36)
 Psychiatric morbidity (casev not case)1.26 (0.95 to 1.66)1.21 (1.06 to 1.39)
 Smoking (smoker vnot smoker)1.06 (0.64 to 1.75)0.89 (0.72 to 1.08)
 Alcohol consumption(abstain vmoderate)2-151 0.57 (0.23 to 1.38)1.40 (1.17 to 1.67)
(highv moderate)0.87 (0.60 to 1.26)0.81 (0.61 to 1.08)
 Physical activity (sedentaryv not sedentary)0.88 (0.57 to 1.36)0.84 (0.72 to 0.97)
Work characteristics:
 Feeling overloaded (high v low)2-152
  Men1.76 (1.12 to 2.75)
  Women1.07 (0.78 to 1.48)1.15 (1.02 to 1.30)
 Hours of overtime (highv low)0.82 (0.57 to 1.06)0.96 (0.85 to 1.09)
 On call responsibility (highv low)1.09 (0.85 to 1.39)
 Job control (low v high)2-151 1.30 (1.03 to 1.67)0.95 (0.85 to 1.07)
 Teamwork (lowv high)1.15 (0.89 to 1.49)1.08 (0.98 to 1.22)
Social circumstances:
 Mariatal status (unmarried v married)2-152
  Men2.22 (1.41 to 3.51)
  Women0.92 (0.67 to 1.27)1.28 (1.13 to 1.44)
 Negative life events (yes v no)1.06 (0.82 to 1.36)1.16 (1.03 to 1.30)
 Social support (lowv high)1.01 (0.78 to 1.30)1.02 (0.91 to 1.14)
 Social network (small vlarge)0.96 (0.74 to 1.27)1.05 (0.93 to 1.18)
  • 2-150 Moderate alcohol consumption 1–260 g of absolute alcohol/week for men and 1–210 g for women. Sedentary lifestyle refers to physical activity corresponding to under half an hour of fast walking/week. Cut off points for low and high levels of work characteristics, social support, and social network were −1 SD and +1 SD, respectively.

  • 2-151 p<0.05, difference in rate ratios between female doctors and controls.

  • 2-152 p<0.05, difference in rate ratios between male and female doctors.