What is the association between sickness absence, mortality and morbidity?

Bambra, C.; Norman, P.

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2005.02.008

What is the association between sickness absence, mortality and morbidity?

Bambra, C.; Norman, P.

Authors

C. Bambra

P. Norman

Abstract

This paper examines the area-level relationships in England and Wales between sickness absence (‘incapacity benefit’), mortality and morbidity. It uses a random sample of incapacity benefit claims, and population counts of mortality and Census morbidity for local government districts. Although there is little correspondence between sickness absence claims by specific cause and mortality, all cause sickness absence has a strong relationship with all cause mortality (male r 0.74, p=0.00; female r 0.64, p=0.00) and it also has a very strong relationship with the Census measures of morbidity: LLTI (male r 0.98, p=0.00; female r 0.97, p=0.00) and ‘not good health’ (male r 0.99, p=0.00; female r 0.96, p=0.00). Incapacity benefit claims by all causes has the potential to provide an ongoing measure of area-level health in England and Wales.

Citation

Bambra, C., & Norman, P. (2006). What is the association between sickness absence, mortality and morbidity?. Health & Place, 12(4), 728-733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2005.02.008

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	Dec 1, 2006
Deposit Date	Nov 6, 2008
Publicly Available Date	Jun 11, 2009
Journal	Health & Place
Print ISSN	1353-8292
Publisher	Elsevier
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	12
Issue	4
Pages	728-733
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2005.02.008
Keywords	Incapacity benefit, Sickness absence, LLTI, Census, Mortality, Morbidity.