Physicians who do not take sick leave: hazardous heroes?

Abstract

Background: Physicians seem to have problems in accepting their own illness, and they tend to avoid taking sick leave. This study reports the diseases that physicians bring to work, and discusses selected factors associated with the behaviour of working when ill. Methods: Of a random sample of 1,476 Norwegian physicians, 70% answered a mailed, anonymous questionnaire as a part of The Norwegian Medical Association's health survey. Results: During one year, 80% of the physicians had worked during an illness for which they would have sick-listed their patients. More than half of the physicians in the study had worked whilst having an infectious disease. Factors independently associated with the behaviour of working when ill include being in the age group 30-39 years, working as a clinician outside hospital, having received medical treatment during the last three years, and having low job satisfaction . Conclusion : A large number of physicians work whilst having infections and other diseases. This behaviour might be harmful to the physicians themselves as well as to their patients and staff members.

Keywords

health behaviour illness behaviour infections physicians physicians' health sick leave.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Pines A. , Skulkeo K. , Pollak E. , Peritz E. , Steif J.

Rates of sickness absenteeism among employees of a modern hospital: the role of demographic and occupational factors. Br J

Industrial Med 1985; 42: 326-35.

Chambers R. , Belcher J. Comparison of the health and lifestyle of general practitioners and teachers . Br J Gen Pract 1993; 43: 378-82.

McKevitt C. , Morgan M. , Dundas R. , Holland WW Sickness absence and ``working through'' illness: a comparison of two professional groups. J Public Health Med 1997; 19: 295-300.

Waldron HA Sickness in the medical profession. Ann Occup Hyg 1996; 40: 391-6.

Baldwin PJ , Dodd M. , Wrate RM Young doctors' health. II. Health and health behaviour. Soc Sci Med 1997; 45: 41-4.

Forsythe M. , Calnan M. , Wall B. Doctors as patients: postal survey examining consultants and general practitioners adherence to guidelines. Br Med J 1999; 319: 605-8.

Aasland OG , Olff M. , Falkum E. , Schweder T. , Ursin H. Health complaints and job stress in Norwegian physicians: The use of an overlapping questionnaire design. Soc Sci Med 1997; 45: 1615-29.

Warr P. , Cook J. , Wall T. Scales for the measurement of some work attitudes and aspects of psychological well-being. J Occup Psychol 1979; 52: 129-48.

Hosmer DW , Lemeshow S. Applied logistic regression. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1989: 86.

10.

Haley RW , Emori TG The Employee Health Service and Infection Control in US Hospitals, 1976-1977. II. Managing Employee Illness. JAMA 1981; 246: 962-6.

11.

Pittet D. , Mourouga P. , Perneger T. Compliance with handwashing in a teaching hospital. Ann Intern Med 1999;130:126-30.

12.

Stoudemire A. , Rhoads JM When the doctor needs a doctor: Special considerations for the physician-patient . Ann Intern Med 1983; 98: 654-9.

13.

Lens P. Zieke dokters. Thesis. Utrecht: Wetenschappelijke uitgeverij Bunge BV, 1984.

14.

Richards C. The health of doctors. King's Fund Paper no. 78. London : King Edward's Hospital Fund, 1989 .

15.

Chambers R. , Belcher J. Self-reported health care over the past 10 years: a survey of general practitioners. Br J Gen Pract 1992; 42: 153-6.

16.

Christie VM , Ingstad B. Reluctant to be perceived as ill - the case of the physician. In: Larsen , editor. The shaping of a profession .Norwegian physicians past and present. U S A Canton, Massachusetts Science History Publications, 1996: 491-9.

17.

Rosvold EO , Vaglum P. , Moum T. Use of minor tranquilizers among Norwegian physicians .A nationwide comparative study. Soc Sci Med 1998; 46: 581-90.

18.

Rutle O. , Forsén L. Allmennpraksis - tema med variasjonar ( Inter-doctor variation in general practice) . Report no. 8. Oslo: Statens institutt for folkehelse, 1984. ( In Norwegian with English summary.)

19.

Falkum E. Psychosocial work-environment and job satisfaction. In: Larsen , editor. The shaping of a profession . Norwegian physicians past and present. U S A Canton, Massachusetts Science History Publications, 1996: 481-90.

20.

Thorsen O. , Haga E.

En helsetjeneste for leger. Hva ønsker legene selv - form og innhold? ( Health service for doctors - what do they want?)

Tidssk Nor Laegeforen 1995; 115: 3788-90.( In Norwegian with English summary.)