Nurse-work instability and incidence of sick leave – results of a prospective study of nurses aged over 40
Abstract Background The Nurse Work Instability Scale (Nurse-WIS) is an occupation-specific instrument that ascertains “work instability,” the interval before restricted work ability or prolonged sick leave occurs. The objective of the study was to assess if nurses with a high risk baseline-score in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12995-018-0212-y |
| _version_ | 1811185298355257344 |
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| author | Melanie Klein Stefanie Wobbe-Ribinski Anika Buchholz Albert Nienhaus Anja Schablon |
| author_facet | Melanie Klein Stefanie Wobbe-Ribinski Anika Buchholz Albert Nienhaus Anja Schablon |
| author_sort | Melanie Klein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The Nurse Work Instability Scale (Nurse-WIS) is an occupation-specific instrument that ascertains “work instability,” the interval before restricted work ability or prolonged sick leave occurs. The objective of the study was to assess if nurses with a high risk baseline-score in the Nurse-WIS take longer periods of sick leave due to musculoskeletal diseases and/or psychological impairments than other nurses. Methods A total of 4500 nurses randomly selected from one of the largest health insurance funds in Germany (DAK-Gesundheit) were invited by letter to participate in the study. The participants answered a questionnaire at baseline and gave consent to a transfer of data concerning sick leave during the twelve months following completion of the questionnaire from the health insurance to the study centre. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) for long-term sick leave were calculated. In order to analyze the association between the Nurse-WIS and sick leave during follow-up, a multiple ordinal logistic model (proportional odds model) was applied. Results A total of 1592 nurses took part in the study (response 35.6%). No loss of follow-up occurred. The number of nurses with a high score (20–28 points) in the Nurse-WIS was 628 (39.4%), and 639 (40.1%) had taken sick leave due to musculoskeletal diseases or psychological impairment during the follow-up period. The odds ratio for sick leave in nurses with a high Nurse-WIS score was 3.42 (95%CI 2.54–4.60). Sensitivity for long-term sick leave (< 42 days) was 64.1%, specificity 63.4%, PPV 17.0% and NPP 93.8%. Conclusion The German version of the Nurse-WIS predicts long-term sick leave, but the PPV is rather low. Combining questionnaire data with secondary data from a health insurer was feasible. Therefore further studies employing this combination of data are advisable. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:28:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c834652061774b28b36efd0fbd0c8514 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1745-6673 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:28:17Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c834652061774b28b36efd0fbd0c85142022-12-22T04:21:59ZengBMCJournal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology1745-66732018-10-0113111010.1186/s12995-018-0212-yNurse-work instability and incidence of sick leave – results of a prospective study of nurses aged over 40Melanie Klein0Stefanie Wobbe-Ribinski1Anika Buchholz2Albert Nienhaus3Anja Schablon4Centre of Excellence for Epidemiology and Health Care Research for Health Care Workers (CVcare), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)DAK-Gesundheit (Health Insurance Fund, Board Manager for Health Care ResearchInstitute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology (IMBE), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)Centre of Excellence for Epidemiology and Health Care Research for Health Care Workers (CVcare), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)Centre of Excellence for Epidemiology and Health Care Research for Health Care Workers (CVcare), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)Abstract Background The Nurse Work Instability Scale (Nurse-WIS) is an occupation-specific instrument that ascertains “work instability,” the interval before restricted work ability or prolonged sick leave occurs. The objective of the study was to assess if nurses with a high risk baseline-score in the Nurse-WIS take longer periods of sick leave due to musculoskeletal diseases and/or psychological impairments than other nurses. Methods A total of 4500 nurses randomly selected from one of the largest health insurance funds in Germany (DAK-Gesundheit) were invited by letter to participate in the study. The participants answered a questionnaire at baseline and gave consent to a transfer of data concerning sick leave during the twelve months following completion of the questionnaire from the health insurance to the study centre. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) for long-term sick leave were calculated. In order to analyze the association between the Nurse-WIS and sick leave during follow-up, a multiple ordinal logistic model (proportional odds model) was applied. Results A total of 1592 nurses took part in the study (response 35.6%). No loss of follow-up occurred. The number of nurses with a high score (20–28 points) in the Nurse-WIS was 628 (39.4%), and 639 (40.1%) had taken sick leave due to musculoskeletal diseases or psychological impairment during the follow-up period. The odds ratio for sick leave in nurses with a high Nurse-WIS score was 3.42 (95%CI 2.54–4.60). Sensitivity for long-term sick leave (< 42 days) was 64.1%, specificity 63.4%, PPV 17.0% and NPP 93.8%. Conclusion The German version of the Nurse-WIS predicts long-term sick leave, but the PPV is rather low. Combining questionnaire data with secondary data from a health insurer was feasible. Therefore further studies employing this combination of data are advisable.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12995-018-0212-yNurse-work instability scaleNursesLong-term sick leaveSecondary data of a health insurer |
| spellingShingle | Melanie Klein Stefanie Wobbe-Ribinski Anika Buchholz Albert Nienhaus Anja Schablon Nurse-work instability and incidence of sick leave – results of a prospective study of nurses aged over 40 Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology Nurse-work instability scale Nurses Long-term sick leave Secondary data of a health insurer |
| title | Nurse-work instability and incidence of sick leave – results of a prospective study of nurses aged over 40 |
| title_full | Nurse-work instability and incidence of sick leave – results of a prospective study of nurses aged over 40 |
| title_fullStr | Nurse-work instability and incidence of sick leave – results of a prospective study of nurses aged over 40 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nurse-work instability and incidence of sick leave – results of a prospective study of nurses aged over 40 |
| title_short | Nurse-work instability and incidence of sick leave – results of a prospective study of nurses aged over 40 |
| title_sort | nurse work instability and incidence of sick leave results of a prospective study of nurses aged over 40 |
| topic | Nurse-work instability scale Nurses Long-term sick leave Secondary data of a health insurer |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12995-018-0212-y |
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