Is an early retirement offer good for your health? Quasi-experimental evidence from the army.

This paper studies empirically the consequences on health of an early retirement offer. To this end we use a targeted retirement offer to military officers 55 years of age or older. Before the offer was implemented, the normal retirement age in the Swedish defense was 60 years of age.

Reliability and criterion validity of an observation protocol for working technique assessments in cash register work.

We evaluated the intra- and inter-observer reliability and criterion validity of an observation protocol, developed in an iterative process involving practicing ergonomists, for assessment of working technique during cash register work for the purpose of preventing upper extremity symptoms. Two ergonomists independently assessed 17 15-min videos of cash register work on two occasions each, as a basis for examining reliability. Criterion validity was assessed by comparing these assessments with meticulous video-based analyses by researchers.

Prominent attractive qualities of nurses' work in operating room departments: A questionnaire study.

Background: The shortage of nurses in operating room departments (ORs) in Sweden and other countries can lead to reduced capacity and quality in healthcare, as well as more intense work for those on the job. Little is known about what nurses in ORs perceive as crucial for their workplace to be attractive.

Objective: To capture attractive qualities of nurses' work in Swedish ORs and take a first step in the process of adapting the Attractive Work Questionnaire for use in a health care context.

Sick-listing adherence: a register study of 1.4 million episodes of sickness benefit 2010-2013 in Sweden.

Background: This register study aims to increase the knowledge on how common it is that sickness benefit recipients are sick-listed for as long as their physician prescribes in their medical sickness certificate, i.e. sick-listing adherence, or wholly/partly bring return-to-work (RTW) forward, i.

Musculoskeletal disorders and working conditions among Iranian nursing personnel.

This study investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and associations with organizational, physical and psychosocial working conditions among 520 nursing personnel in Tehran, Iran. The results of the cross-sectional study on aids and different educational levels of nurses showed that the participants experienced 88% of MSDs in at least one body region during the past 12 months. The 3 most prevalent body regions were the low back (65.

How common is change of primary diagnosis during an episode of sickness benefit? A register study of medical sickness certificates issued 2010-2012 in Sweden.

Aim: The aims of this study were to investigate how common it is to change primary diagnosis between different diagnostic chapters during a sick-leave spell, and to explore patterns of diagnostic changes.

Methods: The unit for analysis was episode of sickness benefit, that is, sick leave >14 days, which commenced between 2010 and 2012 in Sweden. For each case, the primary diagnosis was retrieved from the first and last/latest medical sickness certificate, respectively.

Work-related violence and its association with self-rated general health among public sector employees in Sweden.

Background: Work-related violence is one of the most serious threats to employee safety and health.

Objective: To ascertain the extent of self-reported violence or threats of violence at work in relation to the general health of public sector employees.

Methods: The study population comprised 9,611 female (83%) and male public employees in Sweden.

Implementation of a rehabilitation model for employees on long-term sick leave in the public sector: difficulties, counter-measures, and outcomes.

Objective: The aim was threefold: 1) to describe the experiences of driving and implementing a workplace-based rehabilitation intervention in cooperation with the occupational health service (OHS); 2) to investigate which people received multimodal and/or vocational rehabilitation measures; 3) to find predictors of return to work (RTW).

Participants: Altogether 779 employees on sick leave for 90 days or more with mainly musculoskeletal or psychological/stress-related problems, 90% women.

Methods: The HAKuL model was introduced, implying an early team assessment at the OHS and good access to rehabilitation measures.

Differences in cashiers work technique regarding wrist movements when scanning groceries.

Checkout cashier work can be repetitive and hand-intensive. Differences in workstyle might explain why some cashiers develop symptoms and other do not. Work technique is one part of the workstyle concept.

Development of an instrument for assessing workstyle in checkout cashier work (BAsIK).

Checkout cashier work consists of handling a large number of items during a work shift, which implies repetitive movements of the shoulders, arms and hands/wrists, and a high work rate. The work is associated with a high prevalence of disorders in the neck and upper extremity. The concept of workstyle explains how ergonomic and psychosocial factors interact in the development of work-related upper extremity disorders.

Swedish entrepreneurs' use of occupational health services.

Small-scale enterprises are less often covered by occupational health services and have insufficient awareness about health and risks in the work environment. This study investigated how Swedish entrepreneurs in small-scale enterprises use occupational health services. The study used a questionnaire sent in two waves, 5 years apart.

Adaptation of questionnaire measuring working conditions and health problems among Iranian nursing personnel.

Purpose: To adapt a questionnaire in the Persian language measuring working conditions and health problems among nursing personnel. A further aim was to test the validity and reliability of the questionnaire.

Methods: The adapted questionnaire was based on three well-established questionnaires.

Entrepreneurs' self-reported health, social life, and strategies for maintaining good health.

Objectives: This study investigated the association between self-reported good health and self-valued good social life. An additional aim was to examine entrepreneur's strategies for maintaining good health.

Methods: The study design included a two-wave questionnaire, with five years between the surveys (2001 and 2006), and qualitative interviews.

Job burnout and job wornout as risk factors for long-term sickness absence.

Objective: Contingent self-esteem has been assumed to be a risk for burnout-related disorders, and a contingent self-worth notion of job burnout was applied to study the prospective relationship between job burnout and registered episodes of sickness absence of ≥ 60 consecutive days.

Methods: Job burnout was defined as being in the high quartiles on the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS) scales of exhaustion and cynicism and, in addition, as being above the median on a scale for performance-based self-esteem. Another high exhaustion-cynicism group, a "job wornout" group, was defined as being high on the same MBI-GS scales but having performance-based self-esteem scores below the median.

Striving for balance between family and work demands among Iranian nurses.

The study reported here explored Iranian nurses' experience of managing work and family roles. Grounded theory method guided the data collection and data analysis from both individual and focus group interviews. Five categories emerged: family role, working conditions, seeking support, perceiving dissatisfaction, and perceiving threats to health.

A physical fitness programme during paid working hours - impact on health and work ability among women working in the social service sector: a three year follow up study.

In order to study the influence of a physical fitness programme on work ability among women employed in the social sector an intervention was offered to 205 women working in the social care sector in a municipality in Sweden. The reference group comprised 165 women from the same sector working in another municipality. All participants were employed and answered questionnaires at baseline and after 36 months.

Is smoking and alcohol consumption associated with long-term sick leave due to unspecific back or neck pain among employees in the public sector? Results of a three-year follow-up cohort study.

Objective: To investigate the associations between smoking and alcohol consumption, and long-term sick leave due to unspecific back or neck pain among employees in the public sector.

Design: A 3-year prospective cohort study.

Subjects: Approximately 9000 persons in the public sector in Sweden were invited to participate.

Does sickness presenteeism have an impact on future general health?

Purpose: The primary aim of this prospective study was to investigate whether working despite illness, so called "sickness presenteeism", has an impact on the future general health of two different working populations during a follow-up period of 3 years.

Methods: The study was based on two bodies of data collected at a number of Swedish workplaces from 1999 to 2003. The first material comprised 6,901 employees from the public sector and the second 2,862 subjects from the private sector.

Sickness presenteeism today, sickness absenteeism tomorrow? A prospective study on sickness presenteeism and future sickness absenteeism.

Objective: To prospectively investigate whether sickness presenteeism (SP), ie, going to work despite illness, has an impact on future sickness absenteeism.

Methods: Two study populations were used, one female dominated from the public sector that included 3757 employees, and one male dominated from the private sector comprising 2485 employees.

Results: SP on more than five occasions during the baseline year (2000) was a statistically significant risk factor for future sick leave (2002 and 2003) of more than 30 days among both populations even after adjusting for previous sick leave, health status, demographics, lifestyle, and work-related variables (2002, public sector, relative risk = 1.

Positive and negative consequences of sick leave for the individual, with special focus on part-time sick leave.

Aims: To describe the consequences of long-term sick leave (>28 days) on working situation, health and lifestyle among employees from the public sector in Sweden.

Methods: Employees in four county councils and two municipalities on long term sick leave on 1 November 2005 (n = 1,128) answered a questionnaire in February 2006. The response rate was 71.

Influence of self-reported work conditions and health on full, partial and no return to work after long-term sickness absence.

Objectives: This study aimed at describing the frequency of full, partial, and no return to work after long-term sick leave and at ascertaining the influence of psychosocial work conditions, work ability and health, reported before the onset of sick leave, on full and partial return to work.

Methods: Altogether 853 public-sector employees in Sweden, mainly women, with at least one sick leave lasting > or = 28 days, were studied. The outcome was the level of sick leave 2 years after the sick leave began.

Differences in sickness absence in Sweden and Denmark: the cross national HAKNAK study.

Aim: To investigate potential differences in sickness absence among public sector employees in Sweden and Denmark, and to what extent a difference was associated with age, gender, physical and psychosocial work environment exposures, lifestyle factors, self-rated health or work ability.

Methods: In 2000, two cross-sectional samples of 8562 public sector employees in Sweden and Denmark were surveyed. The study outcome, self-reported number of sick-leave days the year preceding interview, was dichotomized into 7 days or less, and more than 7 days.

The influence of household work and of having children on sickness absence among publicly employed women in Sweden.

Aim: To investigate whether family obligations influence the risk of sickness absence among female municipal employees in Sweden.

Methods: A 1-year prospective cohort study of 1464 female municipal employees <50 years of age in Sweden in 2000 was conducted using questionnaire responses and absence data from the employers' personnel records. The relative risk of having children <16 years of age in the home, marital status, household work, financial situation, working hours and work-family conflicts for repeated sick-leave spells (>or=4 spells) and long-term sickness absence (>or=28 days) were calculated by applying Poisson regression models.

Comparisons between five self-administered instruments predicting sick leaves in a 4-year follow-up.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore and compare the ability of five instruments for self-rating to predict future sick leave rates.

Methods: In three Swedish municipalities 2,252 employees completed a baseline questionnaire and were followed up for 4 years. Five health-oriented instruments for self-rating were used as potential predictors of the two outcome measures no sick leave at all, and one or more spells of long-term sick leave >or=28 days.

Effect of psychosocial factors on low back pain in industrial workers.

Aim: To test the hypothesis that workplace psychosocial factors such as demand, control, support, job satisfaction and job appreciation can predict the future onset of disabling low back pain (LBP).

Methods: The present study involved a prospective cohort of 4500 Iranian industrial workers. Data were gathered by means of a self-reported questionnaire about LBP, as well as working life exposure, lifestyle factors, social exposures, co-morbidity, life events and psychosomatic complaints in 2004.