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Socioeconomic Differences in Occupational Health Service Utilization and Sickness Absence Due to Mental Disorders: A Register-Based Retrospective Cohort Study

Author

Listed:
  • Jaakko Harkko

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Hilla Sumanen

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
    Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
    South Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, 48220 Kotka, Finland)

  • Olli Pietiläinen

    (Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Kustaa Piha

    (Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Minna Mänty

    (Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
    City of Vantaa, Department of strategy and research, 01030 Vantaa, Finland)

  • Tea Lallukka

    (Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Ossi Rahkonen

    (Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Anne Kouvonen

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
    Research Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 53-238 Wroclaw, Poland
    Administrative Data Research Centre–Northern Ireland, Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK)

Abstract

Occupational health service (OHS) is the main provider of primary care services for the working population in Finland. We investigated whether socioeconomic differences in the utilization of OHS predict sickness absence (SA) due to mental disorders. We used register linkage data covering the employees of the City of Helsinki aged 18–34 years ( N = 6545) and 35–54 years ( N = 15,296) from 2009 to 2014. The outcome was medically certified long-term (over 11 days) SA due to mental disorders. Cox regression analyses were performed to obtain hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Employees with low socioeconomic position (SEP) used OHS more frequently. The number of OHS visits independently predicted SA due to mental disorders. HRs were 1.59 (95% CI 1.35, 1.86) for those with frequent visits and 1.73 (95% CI 1.30, 2.29) for those with a clustered visit pattern among 18–34 year old employees; and 1.46 (95% CI 1.18, 1.81) and 1.41 (95% CI 1.14, 1.74) among 35–54 year old employees, respectively. In both age groups, lower education and routine non-manual worker position indicated the highest probability of SA. Low SEP predicts both high OHS utilization and subsequent SA due to mental disorders. Medical records may be used to accurately predict future SA, and the results indicate that preventive measures should be targeted particularly to younger employees with lower SEP.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaakko Harkko & Hilla Sumanen & Olli Pietiläinen & Kustaa Piha & Minna Mänty & Tea Lallukka & Ossi Rahkonen & Anne Kouvonen, 2020. "Socioeconomic Differences in Occupational Health Service Utilization and Sickness Absence Due to Mental Disorders: A Register-Based Retrospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-11, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:6:p:2064-:d:334834
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Aittomäki, Akseli & Martikainen, Pekka & Laaksonen, Mikko & Lahelma, Eero & Rahkonen, Ossi, 2012. "Household economic resources, labour-market advantage and health problems – A study on causal relationships using prospective register data," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(7), pages 1303-1310.
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    Cited by:

    1. Martina Michaelis & Christine Preiser & Susanne Voelter-Mahlknecht & Nicole Blomberg & Monika A. Rieger, 2022. "Uptake of Voluntary Occupational Health Care—Assessments of German Occupational Health Physicians and Employees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-22, August.
    2. Riku Perhoniemi & Jenni Blomgren, 2022. "Use of Health Services and Rehabilitation before and after the Beginning of Long-Term Sickness Absence—Comparing the Use by Employment and Disability Pension Transition after the Sickness Absence in F," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-14, April.

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