Cox proportional hazards model assessing the association between industry, sociodemographic factors and hospitalisation and work incapacity duration
| Variable | Median incapacity duration, days (IQR) | HR (95% CI)* | P value |
| Industry group | |||
| Healthcare and social assistance | 26.0 (16.0–61.0) | Reference | – |
| Other industries | 17.0 (11.0–39.5) | 1.4 (1.1 to 1.8) | 0.001 |
| Sex | |||
| Female | 25.0 (15.0–61.0) | Reference | – |
| Male | 21.0 (11.0–43.0) | 1.2 (1 to 1.5) | 0.092 |
| Age group | |||
| 15–24 years | 19.0 (11.0–31.0) | 1.2 (0.9 to 1.6) | 0.304 |
| 25–34 years | 19.0 (11.0–41.0) | Reference | – |
| 35–44 years | 26.0 (14.2–70.5) | 0.7 (0.5 to 0.9) | 0.003 |
| 45–54 years | 30.0 (16.0–88.0) | 0.6 (0.5 to 0.8) | 0 |
| 55+ years | 27.0 (16.0–80.5) | 0.6 (0.5 to 0.8) | 0.001 |
| Socioeconomic status (n=13 missing) | |||
| First quintile (most advantaged) | 22.0 (14.0–43.0) | 1.1 (0.8 to 1.4) | 0.697 |
| Middle three quintiles | 23.0 (14.0–63.2) | Reference | – |
| Fifth quintile (most disadvantaged) | 21.5 (13–43) | 1.2 (1 to 1.5) | 0.062 |
| Remoteness (n=9 missing) | |||
| Major Cities of Australia | 23.0 (14.0–55.5) | Reference | – |
| Regional Australia | 21.5 (11.0–50.5) | 1.1 (0.8 to 1.5) | 0.509 |
| Hospitalisation | |||
| No hospital admission recorded | 23.0 (13.0–53.0) | Reference | – |
| Hospital admission recorded | 86.5 (35.8–258.5) | 0.4 (0.2 to 0.7) | 0.003 |
*HR is adjusted for covariates (industry group, sex, age group, socioeconomic status, remoteness, hospitalisation). An HR <1 should be interpreted as longer time off work than the reference group.
HR, hazard ratio.