8283597 Substance use and the risk of sickness absence: A longitudinal study among healthcare workers in Sweden

<h3>Objective</h3> The aim is to examine the association between substance use and the risk of i) all-cause medically certified sickness absence (ACMCSA), ii) self-reported short-term sickness absence (SRSSA), and iii) whether the associations are moderated by burnout complaints and depressive symptoms, among healthcare workers in Sweden. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> This longitudinal cohort study used data from the Swedish Longitudinal Study of Work Environment and Health in Healthcare (LOHHCS), collected in 2022 and 2023, linked to a nationwide register (N=10,319). ACMCSA (≥14 days) data was obtained from a nationwide register, while SRSSA (&lt;14 days) was gathered from the survey. Substance use was self-reported, measured as problem drinking (PD) and use of other illicit drugs (IDU). Important covariates included sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age). Moderators were burnout complaints and depressive symptoms collected from the survey. Regression models were employed to examine the risk of first occurrence of ACMCSA and SRSSA, presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). <h3>Results</h3> Preliminary results show that neither PD nor IDU were associated with ACMCSA. Compared to non-PD, PD was associated with a higher risk of SRSSA (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.03, 1.48). No statistically significant association was found between IDU and SRSSA. Burnout complaints and depressive symptoms did not seem to moderate any of the associations. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Among healthcare workers in Sweden, substance use did not seem to increase the risk of long-term sickness absence. However, those who reported PD were more likely to have shorter spells of sickness absence. The findings highlight the importance of addressing repeated periods of short-term sickness absence among healthcare workers, particularly in the context of alcohol-related issues.