Causes of sickness absence
[ch 1: pages 13-14]The broad causes of sickness absence are changing, with mental health taking a bigger toll, but there is also growing recognition of specific conditions, such as migraine, drug and alcohol addiction, obesity and violence (whether at work or at home), that can contribute to absence. The same can be said of causes affecting specific groups within the workforce (such as the menopause, see Chapter 3 ). Certain health problems may lead to presenteeism, rather than absence (see below).
The 2011 Black/Frost report pointed out that longer-term absence (which accounts for 40% or more of working time lost, see Chapter 2) tends to be due to musculoskeletal disorders, common mental health problems and medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease or stroke. Over a quarter (26%) of people in employment have a long-term health condition.
Main reasons for sickness absence (ONS 2016)
| Working days lost | Absences | |
|---|---|---|
| Minor illness | 24.8% | 33.1% |
| Musculoskeletal problems | 22.4% | 18.6% |
| Stress, anxiety, depression, mental ill health | 11.5% | 7.8% |
A range of “other” reasons accounted for 15.3% of days lost and 12.8% of absences
While minor illnesses are the main reason for sickness absence in each age group, there are age-related differences where absence is caused by other factors. For example, musculoskeletal problems, such as back and joint pain, were a reason for sickness absence for 20.8% of 50-to 64-year-olds and 18.7% of 35-to 49-year-olds.