Employee correlates of sickness presence: A study across four European countries

The model of sickness presence (SP) proposed by Aronsson and Gustafsson consists of two parts. The first postulates SP as an employee's reaction to his/her general state of health, and as depending on employee correlates relating to the individual and the job. The second proposes longitudinal relationships between SP and future health. The present study is the first to test the first part of the model outside Scandinavia. Positive sickness presence factors studied were work involvement and job satisfaction; negative presence factors were financial household contribution, time pressure at work, and perceived job insecurity. Control variables were general health, age, gender and autonomy. Data (N=2348) were gathered from a total of 110 organizations in four European countries (Belgium, Spain, Sweden and the UK) with differing welfare state regime, degree of employment protection, labour market and sickness absence-related indicators. The data were analysed by hierarchical multiple regression per country. The findings partially confirmed the Aronsson and Gustafsson model. In all countries, employee general health status was a prerequisite of SP, and time pressure at work related to SP. In Sweden and the UK, job satisfaction related to SP. In the UK, work involvement related to SP.