‘An epidemic of good health’ at the workplace

Towards the end of 1986 a total of 32 workers who were frequently absent from work due to illness were made redundant at an engineering works. In 1987 sickness absences in the remaining work force were reduced by one third in comparison with the figures for the previous three years. In 1988 sickness absence figures started to climb again. The events are described from the point of view of the local health centre physician. The clinical and epidemiological features of the ‘health epidemic’ are demonstrated. Two comments are presented. The first concerns the unspecificity of sickness absenteeism as a measure of illness. The second concerns the concept of ‘illness behaviour’ which should not be taken as a phenomenon determined by a set of causes, but as a human activity construed in interaction between the individual and significant others.