Job satisfaction and short sickness absence due to the common cold

Abstract

Methods: Job satisfaction was assessed on the first day of sickness absence and associated with the duration of sickness absence using a multiple logistic regression model to which demographics, working conditions, and the week day on which sick-leave was taken were stepwise added as covariates. Results: Workers with low job satisfaction scores had higher odds (odds ratio [OR] = 3.85; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.74 to 8.51) of being > 3 days absent from work due to the common cold compared to satisfied workers. However, the duration of sickness absence due to the common cold was more strongly related to the day of taking sick-leave with workers who reported sick on Monday or Tuesday being longer absent (OR = 5.36; 95% CI 1.44 to 9.90) than those who reported sick on Friday. Conclusions: When having a common cold, dissatisfied workers are longer absent from work although the duration of short episodes of sickness absence seems to be determined by the week day on which sick-leave is taken rather than working conditions or perceptions about work.

Human Rhinoviruses

“…Nearly 60 years later, the search for a "cure" for the common cold virus is still ongoing. Worldwide and nearly year-round, HRV is the most common cause of upper respiratory tract infection (URI), leading to considerable economic burdens in terms of medical visits and school and work absenteeism (1)(2)(3)(4). However, while once thought to cause relatively benign upper respiratory tract illness, HRVs are now linked to exacerbations of chronic pulmonary disease, asthma development, and, more recently, severe bronchiolitis in infants and children as well as fatal pneumonia in elderly and immunocompromised adults.…”

Haemophilus influenzae increases the susceptibility and inflammatory response of airway epithelial cells to viral infections

“…HRVs infect the upper respiratory tract of healthy individuals and are responsible for the majority of common colds. Although these common colds are usually benign and self-limiting, they lead to considerable economic burden in terms of medical visits and work loss (3)(4)(5). Moreover, in patients with underlying chronic respiratory diseases like COPD, HRV infections result in more severe lower respiratory tract symptoms and can trigger acute exacerbations (6,7).…”

Relationships between occupational functioning and stress among radio journalists – Assessment by means of the psychosocial risk scale

“…They assessed their health to be as good as that of other journalists' and therefore, their level of absence should be similar to that of other journalists. Here, the previous findings on negative relationships (although low) between job dissatisfaction and the absence from work seem appropriate [18][19][20][21]. It means that the radio journalists' absenteeism may have resulted from their lower job satisfaction.…”