Predictors of sickness absence and presenteeism: does the pattern differ by a respondent's health?

Abstract

To examine the predictors of sickness presenteeism in comparison with sickness absenteeism. The article focuses on the effects of working time match and efficiency demands and differentiates the estimates by a respondent's self-assessed health. We use survey data covering 884 Finnish trade union members in 2009. We estimate logistic regression models. All models include control variables such as the sector of the economy and the type of contract. Working time match between desired and actual weekly working hours reduces both sickness absence and presenteeism for those workers who have poor health. We also find that efficiency demands increase presenteeism for those workers who have good health. The effects of working time match and efficiency demands on the prevalence of sickness absence and presenteeism are strongly conditional on a worker's self-assessed health level.