International archives of occupational and environmental health
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Jun 2004
Comparative StudyAsthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: differences between workers with and without sick leave.
Determinants of sick leave should be investigated before interventions to reduce sick leave can be designed. This cross-sectional study compares employees with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with and without sick leave. ⋯ Severity of the disease, as measured by lung function, is not a determinant of sick leave in asthma and COPD. Different processes play a role in asthma and COPD. Interventions for reducing sick leave should aim more at psychosocial factors than at treating the severity of the disease.