Work–life interference and physician-certified sick leave: a prospective study of a general working population

BACKGROUND: Work-life interference has been associated with adverse health outcomes. Here, we quantify the association between work-life interference and subsequent sick leave. METHODS: Respondents from a randomly drawn cohort of the general working Norwegian population were interviewed in 2009, 2013 and/or 2016. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to assess prospective associations of self-reported work-life interference and risk of subsequent physician-certified sick leave of 1-16 days (low-level) and >16 days (high-level) in strata of men and women. To quantify the importance of work-life interference as risk factors for sick leave, we estimated the population attributable risk (PAR). RESULTS: Both low- and high-level sick leave were most prevalent among women while the prevalence of work-life interference was similar between sexes. Risk of sick leave was higher among women reporting work-life interference sometimes or often in comparison with seldom or never low- and high-level sick leave odds ratio (OR) = 1. 21 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1. 07-1. 37 and 1. 30 (95% CI = 1. 14-1. 49), respectively. The associations for high-level sick leave progressively increased with the level of work-life interference highest OR = 1. 44 (95% CI = 1. 19-1. 75). In men, there was no consistent higher risk of sick leave according to more frequent work-life interference low- and high-level sick leave OR = 1. 00 (95% CI = 0. 87-1. 14) and 0. 98 (95% CI = 0. 84-1. 16), respectively, but the risk of high-level sick leave tended to be higher among men reporting work-life interference often (OR = 1. 21, 95% CI = 0. 98-1. 50). Estimating PAR, 6. 69% (95% CI = 1. 52-11. 74) of low-level and 9. 94% (95% CI = 4. 22-15. 45) of high-level sick leave could be attributed to work-life interference among women. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported work-life interference was associated with a higher risk of sick leave, with the most consistent results among women.