Occupational Medicine 52:485-490 (2002)
Copyright © 2002 Society of Occupational Medicine
Measuring sick leave: a comparison of self-reported data on sick leave and data from company records
,
Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam
Department of General Practice, Erasmus University, Rotterdam
Health Safety and Environment, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Schiphol Airport, The Netherlands
Correspondence to: Ms M. N. M. van Poppel, PhD, Department of Social Medicine, Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e-mail: MNM.van_Poppel.EMGO{at}Med.VU.nl
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare sick leave data obtained from questionnaires with data from company records. During a period of 12 months, questionnaires were completed monthly for 6 months and then at 9 and 12 months. The sensitivity and specificity of questionnaires for detecting an episode of sick leave were determined, using the company records as a reference standard. In addition, the duration of sick leave episodes reported in the two data sets was compared. In this analysis, company records were not assumed to be superior, and agreement was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). The sensitivity of questionnaires for detecting an episode of sick leave was 55% (95% CI = 0.50–0.60) and the specificity 83% (95% CI = 0.72–0.94). The ICC for all episodes was 0.58 (95% CI = 0.47–0.67). The only satisfactory ICC (0.87; 95% CI = 0.74–0.93) was found for the questionnaires at 9 and 12 months. No large systematic differences were found between the duration of episodes reported in the two data sets. In conclusion, in our study, the sensitivity of questionnaires for detecting an episode of sick leave was very low. Furthermore, when episodes were recalled, there was little agreement on the duration of the episode between questionnaire data and data in the company records. Based on these results and considering the risk of missing questionnaires, data on sick leave gathered from company records are clearly preferable as an outcome measure in research.
Keywords Agreement; company records; intraclass correlation coefficients; questionnaires; sensitivity; sick leave; specificity
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  T. Lund, K. B. Christensen, M. Vaez, M. Labriola, M. Josephson, E. Villadsen, and M. Voss Differences in sickness absence in Sweden and Denmark: the cross national HAKNAK study Eur J Public Health, June 1, 2009; 19(3): 343 - 349. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M Voss, S Stark, L Alfredsson, E Vingard, and M Josephson Comparisons of self-reported and register data on sickness absence among public employees in Sweden Occup. Environ. Med., January 1, 2008; 65(1): 61 - 67. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Lindberg, E. Vingard, M. Josephson, and L. Alfredsson Retaining the ability to work--associated factors at work Eur J Public Health, October 1, 2006; 16(5): 470 - 475. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J E Ferrie, M Kivimaki, J Head, M J Shipley, J Vahtera, and M G Marmot A comparison of self-reported sickness absence with absences recorded in employers' registers: evidence from the Whitehall II study Occup. Environ. Med., February 1, 2005; 62(2): 74 - 79. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D Gimeno, F G Benavides, J Benach, and B C Amick III Distribution of sickness absence in the European Union countries Occup. Environ. Med., October 1, 2004; 61(10): 867 - 869. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. Hensing Chapter 4. Methodological aspects in sickness-absence research Scand J Public Health, October 1, 2004; 32(63_suppl): 44 - 48. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|