Labour market trajectories after part-time sickness absence: a nationwide cohort study from Finland
Objectives The use of part-time sickness absence (pSA) enables return to part-time work from full sickness absence. However, subsequent labour market outcomes of pSA users depend on various individual and work-related characteristics. We investigated labour market paths of private and public sector...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2023-10-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/10/e075584.full |
| _version_ | 1797629002789158912 |
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| author | Eira Viikari-Juntura Svetlana Solovieva Taina Leinonen Jenni Blomgren Petri Böckerman Laura Salonen Elli Hartikainen |
| author_facet | Eira Viikari-Juntura Svetlana Solovieva Taina Leinonen Jenni Blomgren Petri Böckerman Laura Salonen Elli Hartikainen |
| author_sort | Eira Viikari-Juntura |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives The use of part-time sickness absence (pSA) enables return to part-time work from full sickness absence. However, subsequent labour market outcomes of pSA users depend on various individual and work-related characteristics. We investigated labour market paths of private and public sector employees after having a pSA spell. Moreover, we examined individual and work-related factors associated with following them.Design Longitudinal register-based cohort study.Setting Finnish employed population.Participants 9896 receivers of partial sickness allowance aged 45–56 in the years 2010–2014.Outcome We constructed labour market trajectories based on the proportion of time spent in various labour market statuses measured over 3 years after the end of the pSA spell using multiresponse trajectory analysis. We then examined how different individual and work-related factors were associated with assignment to the different trajectory groups using logistic regression analyses.Results The majority of the pSA users followed paths where work participation was consistently elevated (Sustained Work group, 40.4%), or only slightly reduced (Slightly Reduced Work group, 31.6%). Moreover, more than 1/10th of the users followed a path where receiving partial work disability benefits became predominant (Partial Work Disability group, 12.5%). The rest followed paths where other non-employment (Other Non-Employed group, 7.8%) or full work disability (Full Work Disability group, 7.7%) became the prevailing status. Lower educational level and income predicted assignment to all other groups than the Sustained Work group. Additional predictors were identified, yet these differed between the trajectory groups.Conclusions The majority of the pSA users maintained a connection to working life, yet weaker working life paths were also identified. The paths were determined by various individual and work-related factors that can help health professionals and employers to better target support measures particularly towards individuals whose connection to working life is at risk to weaken after the use of pSA. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:47:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-97eb6168910047adb67fb2e6e18f4ad0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:47:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-97eb6168910047adb67fb2e6e18f4ad02023-11-14T00:20:06ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552023-10-01131010.1136/bmjopen-2023-075584Labour market trajectories after part-time sickness absence: a nationwide cohort study from FinlandEira Viikari-Juntura0Svetlana Solovieva1Taina Leinonen2Jenni Blomgren3Petri Böckerman4Laura Salonen5Elli Hartikainen62Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finland3Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, FinlandFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, FinlandThe Social Insurance Institution, Helsinki, FinlandSchool of Business and Economics, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, FinlandFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, FinlandFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, FinlandObjectives The use of part-time sickness absence (pSA) enables return to part-time work from full sickness absence. However, subsequent labour market outcomes of pSA users depend on various individual and work-related characteristics. We investigated labour market paths of private and public sector employees after having a pSA spell. Moreover, we examined individual and work-related factors associated with following them.Design Longitudinal register-based cohort study.Setting Finnish employed population.Participants 9896 receivers of partial sickness allowance aged 45–56 in the years 2010–2014.Outcome We constructed labour market trajectories based on the proportion of time spent in various labour market statuses measured over 3 years after the end of the pSA spell using multiresponse trajectory analysis. We then examined how different individual and work-related factors were associated with assignment to the different trajectory groups using logistic regression analyses.Results The majority of the pSA users followed paths where work participation was consistently elevated (Sustained Work group, 40.4%), or only slightly reduced (Slightly Reduced Work group, 31.6%). Moreover, more than 1/10th of the users followed a path where receiving partial work disability benefits became predominant (Partial Work Disability group, 12.5%). The rest followed paths where other non-employment (Other Non-Employed group, 7.8%) or full work disability (Full Work Disability group, 7.7%) became the prevailing status. Lower educational level and income predicted assignment to all other groups than the Sustained Work group. Additional predictors were identified, yet these differed between the trajectory groups.Conclusions The majority of the pSA users maintained a connection to working life, yet weaker working life paths were also identified. The paths were determined by various individual and work-related factors that can help health professionals and employers to better target support measures particularly towards individuals whose connection to working life is at risk to weaken after the use of pSA.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/10/e075584.full |
| spellingShingle | Eira Viikari-Juntura Svetlana Solovieva Taina Leinonen Jenni Blomgren Petri Böckerman Laura Salonen Elli Hartikainen Labour market trajectories after part-time sickness absence: a nationwide cohort study from Finland BMJ Open |
| title | Labour market trajectories after part-time sickness absence: a nationwide cohort study from Finland |
| title_full | Labour market trajectories after part-time sickness absence: a nationwide cohort study from Finland |
| title_fullStr | Labour market trajectories after part-time sickness absence: a nationwide cohort study from Finland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Labour market trajectories after part-time sickness absence: a nationwide cohort study from Finland |
| title_short | Labour market trajectories after part-time sickness absence: a nationwide cohort study from Finland |
| title_sort | labour market trajectories after part time sickness absence a nationwide cohort study from finland |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/10/e075584.full |
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