Work situation and sickness absence in the initial period after breast cancer surgery

Figures & data

Figure 1. Enrolment of study participants.

Table I. Sociodemographic data on women who participated in the study (n = 756).

	Total
Age (years)
Mean	51.4 (SD 8.1)
Median	52
Range	23–63
	n (%)
<51 years	336 (44.4)
≥51 years	420 (55.6)
Education
Elementary school (≤9 years)	108 (14.3)
Grammar/Secondary school (10–12 years)	224 (29.6)
College/University	422 (55.8)
Missing	2 (0.3)
Married
Yes	411 (54.4)
No	334 (44.2)
Missing	11 (1.5)
Living situation
Living with husband/partner/other adult	345 (45.7)
Living with husband/partner/other adult and children	180 (23.8)
Living alone	140 (18.9)
Living with children	82 (10.8)
Missing	9 (1.2)
Children
No	105 (13.9)
Yes	649 (85.8)
Missing	2 (0.3)
Country of birth
Sweden	627 (82.9)
Other Nordic country	59 (7.8)
Other European country	27 (3.6)
Outside Europe	32 (4.2)
Missing	11 (1.5)
Co-morbidities
No	404 (53.4)
Yes	352 (46.6)

Table II. Employment status at breast cancer diagnosis (n = 756), percent of time worked by employed women (n = 652), and percent having strenuous work posture.

	n	(%)
Employed	611	(80.8)
and part-time disability pension	20	(2.6)
and part-time sick leave (>3 months)	8	(1.1)
and studying	7	(0.9)
and part-time parental leave	3	(0.4)
and part-time old-age pension	2	(0.3)
and part-time unemployed	1	(0.1)
Disability pension	32	(4.2)
and part-time old-age pension	1	(0.1)
Unemployed	20	(2.6)
and sick leave >3 months	3	(0.4)
and part-time disability pension	1	(0.1)
Sick leave >3 months	10	(1.3)
and part-time disability pension	3	(0.4)
Homemaker	12	(1.6)
Old-age pension	10	(1.3)
Parental leave	7	(0.9)
Student	5	(0.7)
Percent of time worked among those employed (n = 652)
<50	13	(2.0)
≥50 to ≤74	43	(6.6)
≥75	595	(91.3)
Missing	1	(0.1)
Strenuous work posture
No	517	(68.4)
Yes	139	(18.4)
Missing*	100	(13.2)

*Homemakers, old age and full-time disability pensioners included.

Table III. General health during the past week, and general health compared to six months ago (i.e. before breast cancer diagnosis).

	n	(%)
General health during the past week
Good	420	(55.6)
Poor	310	(41.0)
Missing	26	(3.4)
General health compared to six months ago
Same or better	427	(56.5)
Worse	299	(39.6)
Missing	30	(3.9)

Table IV. Length and grade of current sick leave (among those sick listed at the time of survey, n = 426).

	n	(%)
Length of sick leave
1 week	72	(16.9)
1 month	209	(49.1)
3 months	80	(18.8)
>3 months	41	(9.6)
Length not reported	22	(5.2)
Missing	2	(0.5)
Grade of sick leave
Full-time	327	(76.8)
Part-time	81	(19.0)
Missing	18	(4.2)

Table V. Crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for being on sick leave during the initial period after breast cancer surgery (n = 698).

Variable	Crude OR (95% CI)	OR adjusted for age (95% CI)	Final model* (95% CI)
Age (Ref: <51 years)
≥51 years	0.61 (0.45–0.84)	–	0.70 (0.49–1.00)
Education (Ref: high)
Low	0.92 (0.67–1.24)	0.94 (0.69–1.28)	–
Co-morbidity (Ref: no co-morbidity)
Yes	1.11 (0.81–1.50)	1.19 (0.87–1.63)	–
General health during the past week (Ref: good)
Poor	5.22 (3.66–7.47)	5.20 (3.63–7.45)	3.83 (2.56–5.73)
General health compared to six months (Ref: same or better)
Worse	3.43 (2.43–4.84)	3.34 (2.36–4.72)	2.03 (1.36–3.03)
Strenuous work posture (Ref: no)
Yes	2.68 (1.74–4.15)	2.70 (1.75–4.19)	2.57 (1.59–4.18)

*Only significant variables were included in the final model (age, general health during the past week, general health compared to six months ago, strenuous work posture).