Gender Differences in the Determinants and Consequences of Long-Term Illness: A Comparative Analysis of Sweden and Poland

Abstract

Because Sweden is an extremely generous welfare state, while Poland continues to undergo radical social changes in its transformation to a capitalist economy, one would expect cross-national differences in occupational-career patterns, including absenteeism from work. This article examines a specific type of occupational-career interruption, long-term illness. Using panel surveys in Sweden (HUS) and Poland (POLPAN), event history analyses are employed to investigate gender differences in factors that trigger work absenteeism due to illness. In both countries, gender differences in the factors that determine whether one has an illness interruption are mainly because of women's greater responsibilities for child care and the household. In addition, change-score regression of income on career interruption due to illness is examined. In Sweden, women experience a significantly negative impact on wages for illness interruptions. In Poland, it is men who suffer long-term negative consequences on wages for illness interruptions. Cross-national variation is attributed to gender differences in labor market experiences and the legacies of gender equity policies in Sweden and Poland.