Scandinavian journal of primary health care
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 1989
Sickness absenteeism and mortality in patients with excessive drinking in somatic out-patient care.
In a study of 2114 patients attending somatic outpatient clinics, 208 were classified as excessive drinkers. Sickness benefit days and sickness periods per year, disability pension, and mortality were studied for the years 1981 to 1985. The excessive drinkers as a group had 13 to 27 more sickness days per year than the other patients. ⋯ The excessive drinking patients without advanced alcohol problems did not have more sickness days than the other patients. Most of these patients (75%) were sick-listed without recognition of their excessive drinking by their doctor. This emphasizes the importance, in terms of sickness benefits and mortality, of better identification of patients with excessive drinking.