Frequent short sickness absence, occupational health service utilisation and long-term sickness absence due to mental disorders among young employees

Objectives We examined whether frequent short-term sickness absence (FSTSA) and primary care use in occupational health service (OHS) were associated with medically-certified long-term sickness absence (LTSA) due to mental disorders among young employees. Methods We used record-linkage data covering the young employees (< 35 years) of the City of Helsinki, Finland ( n = 8,282) from 2010 to 2014. The outcome was LTSA due to mental disorders. Cox regression models were fitted. Results FSTSAs were associated with subsequent LTSA. Also OHS use predicted LTSA due to mental disorders; however, this association was not found for those with prior FSTSA. Conclusions Both FSTSA and primary care use indicate subsequent LTSA independently, and together these indicators identify a larger proportion of individuals at risk of LTSA due to mental disorders.