Rate ratios (95% CI) for short spells of sickness absence (⩽7 days) in early follow up (1994–95) by change in psychosocial work characteristics between phase 1 (1985–88) and phase 3 (1991–93)
| Rate | All participants (n = 3817) | Stable employment grade (n = 2746) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted for age, sex, employment grade | + baseline work characteristics | All adjustments† | All adjustments† | ||
| Rate of short spells per 100 person years. *Decision latitude, job demands, work social supports. †Adjusted for sex, baseline age, employment grade, baseline work characteristics (decision latitude, job demands, work social supports), change in employment grade between phases 1 and 3, baseline health (longstanding illness, health problems in past year, GHQ caseness), frequency of alcohol consumption in past year, smoking habits, body mass index, baseline sickness absence (rate of short spells per year 1985–89, rate of long spells per year 1985–89, rate of days per year 1985–89). ‡Test for linear trend in continuous work change score. | |||||
| Decision latitude | |||||
| Increase | 125.3 | 0.99 (0.88 to 1.18) | 0.91 (0.82 to 1.02) | 0.95 (0.85 to 1.07) | 0.91 (0.80 to 1.05) |
| Stable | 109.6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Decrease | 136.9 | 1.09 (0.96 to 1.24) | 1.13 (1.00 to 1.29) | 1.08 (0.94 to 1.23) | 1.08 (0.93 to 1.25) |
| Test for linear trend‡ | p = 0.46 | p = 0.01 | p = 0.15 | p = 0.16 | |
| Job demands | |||||
| Increase | 124.4 | 1.03 (0.94 to 1.14) | 1.01 (0.90 to 1.12) | 1.00 (0.90 to 1.11) | 0.99 (0.87 to 1.12) |
| Stable | 112.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Decrease | 116.3 | 0.99 (0.88 to 1.12) | 1.02 (0.90 to 1.16) | 1.02 (0.90 to 1.16) | 0.99 (0.86 to 1.14) |
| Test for linear trend‡ | p = 0.85 | p = 0.41 | p = 0.48 | p = 0.77 | |
| Work social supports | |||||
| Increase | 116.4 | 0.95 (0.85 to 1.05) | 0.90 (0.80 to 1.01) | 0.91 (0.81 to 1.02) | 0.92 (0.80 to 1.05) |
| Stable | 116.3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Decrease | 117.5 | 1.04 (0.93 to 1.15) | 1.05 (0.95 to 1.17) | 1.01 (0.91 to 1.12) | 1.00 (0.88 to 1.13) |
| Test for linear trend‡ | p = 0.17 | p = 0.01 | p = 0.24 | p = 0.34 | |