TY - JOUR T1 - Fatigue and risk of sickness absence in the working population: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies JO - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PY - 2019/7VL - 45 IS - 4 SP - 333 EP - 345 AU - Sagherian, Knar AU - Geiger-Brown, Jeanne AU - Rogers, Valerie E AU - Ludeman, Emilie M3 - doi: 10.5271/sjweh.3819 UR - https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3819 KW - absenteeism KW - fatigue KW - longitudinal study KW - meta-analysis KW - review KW - sick leave KW - sickness absence KW - systematic review KW - tiredness KW - worker KW - working population N2 - '

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OBJECTIVES ': 'Fatigue, a common complaint in workers, has been related to sickness absence (SA). The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the prospective association between fatigue and SA in the working population.

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METHODS ': 'An electronic literature search was conducted in five databases: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Psyc­INFO and Cochrane CENTRAL. Longitudinal studies were selected that focused on fatigue and future SA in workers. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted and pooled estimates [95% confidence intervals (CI)] were obtained for the association between fatigue and risk of long-term SA in total and by sex. Heterogeneity was assessed by I2 statistics.

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RESULTS ': 'Of the 16 included studies in the review, 14 provided supportive evidence for an association between fatigue and SA. The meta-analysis of 9 studies (provided 15 estimates) that were mostly of high quality showed that baseline fatigue increased the risk of long-term SA by 35% (95%CI 1.23–1.47) in workers. Heterogeneity was low-moderate (I2=40%). The pooled estimates for an increased risk for long-term SA were 35% (95% CI 1.18–1.54) in fatigued men and 22% (95% CI 0.93–1.60) in fatigued women however this relationship was not statistically significant.

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CONCLUSION ': 'There is conclusive evidence for the prospective association between worker fatigue and long-term SA. Whereas most studies in the review measured chronic fatigue and long-term SA, there was insufficient data for the meta-analysis to draw conclusions on fatigue type. Future research is needed in this area as well as greater exploration of fatigue and long-term SA in women.

SN - 0355-3140 ER -