Impact of sick leave on general practitioner visits among Serbia’s working population

Introduction/Objective. Sick leave represents an indicator of health and has multiple consequences for individuals, employers, and the health system. In Serbia, association between sick leave and general practitioner visits has not been sufficiently explored. This study aimed to examine the association between sick leave and general practitioner visits among the working-age population in Serbia, considering predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Methods. Data from the 2019 Serbian National Health Survey were analyzed, based on a sample of 4,652 respondents aged 18-65 years. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression methods were used to identify factors associated with general practitioner visits in the previous 12 months, with sick leave (yes/no) included as a predictor in the model. Results. Multivariate analysis showed that sick leave was statistically significantly associated with a higher probability of general practitioner visits (OR = 2.11). The strongest enabling factor was having a chosen general practitioner (OR = 3.95), while significant predisposing factors included marital status, education, and type of employment. Among need factors, poor self-rated health, long-term limitations, and previous hospitalization were strongly associated with general practitioner visits. The model demonstrated good discriminatory ability (Nagelkerke R? = 0.32; ROC AUC = 0.78). Conclusion. Sick leave significantly increases the probability of general practitioner visits. Enabling and predisposing factors play a key role, particularly having a chosen general practitioner. The results indicate the importance of general practice accessibility as a resource for reducing inequalities in healthcare utilization among the working-age population in Serbia.