Occupational Medicine 1981;31:151-157
© 1981 Society of Occupational Medicine
research-article |
Absence From Work and Perceived Health Among Mine Rescue Workers*
Deparztment of Community Health, University of Nottingham
Studies of the relationship between various measures such as nature of work, family responsibilities, age and absence from work, have led to contradictory findings. Similar discrepancies are found in studies comparing illness absence and absence following injury. It is argued that perceived health may be more important than objective morbidity in determining the reasons for absence from work. In a study of the reported absence during the previous 6 months and perceived present health of 113 mine rescue workers it was found that 55 men had not been absent during the 6 months prior to the study, 37 had been absent through illness and 20 as a consequence of injury; only 1 worker had had both illness absence and absence following injury. Generally, those workers who had had illness absence had a poorer perceived health than workers who had had absence following injury or no absence at all. It is suggested that injuries may not be seen as health problems and that workers may be more ‘prone’ either to illness absence or to absence following injury.
0Requests for reprints should be addressed to:Dr J. McEwen, Department of Community Health. University of Nottingham, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Clifton Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 2UH.