BMJ  2005;330:802-803 (9 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7495.802

Editorial

Long term sickness absence

Is caused by common conditions and needs managing

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Sickness absence is a major public health and economic problem. In 2003, 176 million working days were lost; up 10 million on the previous year.¹ Each week 1 million people report sick, 3000 of whom will still be away from work at six months.² Only 20% of people receiving incapacity benefit for more than six months will return to work in the following five years.³ The costs are enormous. Each year, £13bn ($25bn; 19bn) are spent on benefits such as incapacity benefit, and the cost to industry is at least £11bn.⁴ Long term sickness absence contributes disproportionately to these figures. Although they constitute only a small fraction of absence episodes, longer absences comprise more than a third of total days lost and up to 75% of absence costs.^{1 2} Longer absences are associated with a reduced probability of eventual return to work and subsequent economic and social deprivation.

The government . . . [Full text of this article]

Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychological Medicine, Weston Education Centre, London SE5 9RJ (m.henderson@iop.kcl.ac.uk)

Department of Occupational Health and Safety, King's College Hospital NHS Trust, London SE5 9RS

Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    StumbleUpon    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Medically certified sickness absence

Johannes R Anema and Allard J van der Beek
BMJ 2008 337: a1174. [Extract] [Full Text]

Diagnosis-specific sickness absence as a predictor of mortality: the Whitehall II prospective cohort study

Jenny Head, Jane E Ferrie, Kristina Alexanderson, Hugo Westerlund, Jussi Vahtera, and Mika Kivimäki
BMJ 2008 337: a1469. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Physical work environment risk factors for long term sickness absence: prospective findings among a cohort of 5357 employees in Denmark

Thomas Lund, Merete Labriola, Karl Bang Christensen, Ute Bültmann, and Ebbe Villadsen
BMJ 2006 332: 449-452. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Mental health should have same priority as physical health

Zosia Kmietowicz
BMJ 2005 330: 1408. [Extract] [Full Text]

Long term sickness absence: Sickness absence, stress, and disaffection are linked

Dale Archer
BMJ 2005 330: 1087. [Extract] [Full Text]

Long term sickness absence: Motivation rather than ability to work may be key

Ulf R Dahle and Fernanda C Petersen
BMJ 2005 330: 1087. [Extract] [Full Text]

Long term sickness absence: General practitioners have crucial role but need political support

Graeme M Mackenzie
BMJ 2005 330: 1087. [Extract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Gjesdal, S., Haug, K., Ringdal, P., Maeland, J. G., Hagberg, J., Roraas, T., Vollset, S. E., Alexanderson, K. (2009). Sickness absence with musculoskeletal or mental diagnoses, transition into disability pension and all-cause mortality: A 9-year prospective cohort study. Scand J Public Health 37: 387-394 [Abstract]  
• Henderson, M., Hotopf, M., Leon, D. A. (2009). Childhood temperament and long-term sickness absence in adult life. Br. J. Psychiatry 194: 220-223 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Salmi, P., Svedberg, P., Hagberg, J., Lundh, G., Linder, J., Alexanderson, K. (2009). Multidisciplinary investigations recognize high prevalence of co-morbidity of psychiatric and somatic diagnoses in long-term sickness absentees. Scand J Public Health 37: 35-42 [Abstract]  
• Jingrot, M., Rosberg, S. (2008). Gradual Loss of Homelikeness in Exhaustion Disorder. Qual Health Res 18: 1511-1523 [Abstract]  
• Anema, J. R, Beek, A. J v. d. (2008). Medically certified sickness absence. BMJ 337: a1174-a1174 [Full text]  
• Head, J., Ferrie, J. E, Alexanderson, K., Westerlund, H., Vahtera, J., Kivimaki, M. (2008). Diagnosis-specific sickness absence as a predictor of mortality: the Whitehall II prospective cohort study. BMJ 337: a1469-a1469 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Gjesdal, S., Ringdal, P. R., Haug, K., Maeland, J. G., Vollset, S. E., Alexanderson, K. (2008). Mortality after long-term sickness absence: prospective cohort study. Eur J Public Health 18: 517-521 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Bultmann, U., Christensen, K. B., Burr, H., Lund, T., Rugulies, R. (2008). Severe depressive symptoms as predictor of disability pension: a 10-year follow-up study in Denmark. Eur J Public Health 18: 232-234 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Karlsson, N. E., Carstensen, J. M., Gjesdal, S., Alexanderson, K. A. E. (2008). Risk factors for disability pension in a population-based cohort of men and women on long-term sick leave in Sweden. Eur J Public Health 18: 224-231 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Summerfield, D., Veale, D. (2008). Proposals for massive expansion of psychological therapies would be counterproductive across society. Br. J. Psychiatry 192: 326-330 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Dekkers-Sanchez, P M, Hoving, J L, Sluiter, J K, Frings-Dresen, M H W (2008). Factors associated with long-term sick leave in sick-listed employees: a systematic review. Occup. Environ. Med. 65: 153-157 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Christensen, K. B., Labriola, M., Lund, T., Kivimaki, M. (2008). Explaining the social gradient in long-term sickness absence: a prospective study of Danish employees. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 62: 181-183 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Kivimaki, M., Ferrie, J. E, Hagberg, J., Head, J., Westerlund, H., Vahtera, J., Alexanderson, K. (2007). Diagnosis-specific sick leave as a risk marker for disability pension in a Swedish population. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 61: 915-920 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Bang Christensen, K., Lund, T., Labriola, M., Villadsen, E., Bultmann, U. (2007). The fraction of long-term sickness absence attributable to work environmental factors: prospective results from the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study. Occup. Environ. Med. 64: 487-489 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Brouwers, E. P. M., Bruijne, M. C. d., Terluin, B., Tiemens, B. G., Verhaak, P. F. M. (2007). Cost-effectiveness of an activating intervention by social workers for patients with minor mental disorders on sick leave: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Public Health 17: 214-220 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Rugulies, R., Bultmann, U., Aust, B., Burr, H. (2006). Psychosocial Work Environment and Incidence of Severe Depressive Symptoms: Prospective Findings from a 5-Year Follow-up of the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study. Am J Epidemiol 163: 877-887 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Lund, T., Labriola, M., Christensen, K. B., Bultmann, U., Villadsen, E. (2006). Physical work environment risk factors for long term sickness absence: prospective findings among a cohort of 5357 employees in Denmark. BMJ 332: 449-452 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Archer, D. (2005). Long term sickness absence: Sickness absence, stress, and disaffection are linked. BMJ 330: 1087-1087 [Full text]  
• Dahle, U. R, Petersen, F. C (2005). Long term sickness absence: Motivation rather than ability to work may be key. BMJ 330: 1087-1087 [Full text]  
• Mackenzie, G. M (2005). Long term sickness absence: General practitioners have crucial role but need political support. BMJ 330: 1087-1087 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

The majority benefit from systems intended for the incapacitated.

Ulf R. Dahle, et al.
bmj.com, 8 Apr 2005 [Full text]

Sickness absence, stress and disaffection

Dale Archer
bmj.com, 8 Apr 2005 [Full text]

A good argument for Occupational Psychiatry

John Sharkey
bmj.com, 15 Apr 2005 [Full text]

GPs Have a Crucial Role but Need Political Support

Graeme M Mackenzie
bmj.com, 18 Apr 2005 [Full text]

Long term sickness absence

Andrew O Frank, et al.
bmj.com, 21 Apr 2005 [Full text]

Online poll

Find out more >>