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. 2013 Feb 23;3(2):e002259. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002259

Table 4.

HR (95% CI) for sickness absence after an episode of work in relation to socioeconomic and clinical factors among 4343 patients aged 18–63 diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the years 2001–2009, and part of the work force at the time of follow-up

Work→sickness absence HR—unadjusted (events: 2296) HR—adjusted for SES† HR—adjusted for SES† and confounders‡ HR—adjusted for SES†, confounders‡ and clinical variables
Education
 Primary school 1 1 1 1
 Vocational and short-term education 1.25 (1.11 to 1.41)* 1.10 (0.96 to 1.27) 1.10 (0.96 to 1.27) 1.07 (0.93 to 1.23)
 Medium-term and long-term education 1.40 (1.26 to 1.56)** 1.22 (1.08 to 1.38)* 1.21 (1.07 to 1.37)* 1.18 (1.04 to 1.34)*
Disposal income§
 Lowest quartile 1 1 1 1
 Second lowest quartile 1.18 (1.04 to 1.33) 1.18 (1.05 to 1.34)* 1.17 (1.03 to 1.33) 1.13 (0.99 to 1.28)
 Second highest quartile 1.02 (0.91 to 1.16) 1.04 (0.92 to 1.18) 1.02 (0.90 to 1.16) 1.00 (0.88 to 1.14)
 Highest quartile 0.82 (0.73 to 0.94)* 0.99 (0.87 to 1.14) 0.99 (0.86 to 1.14) 0.96 (0.84 to 1.11)
Job type
 Management and knowledge work 0.69 (0.61 to 0.78)** 0.96 (0.83 to 1.12) 0.97 (0.84 to 1.14) 0.95 (0.82 to 1.11)
 Office and sale (non-manual) 0.89 (0.82 to 0.98) 1.00 (0.91 to 1.10) 1.00 (0.91 to 1.12) 1.00 (0.90 to 1.11)
 Manual 1 1 1 1
 Other 0.67 (0.54 to 0.83)* 0.84 (0.67 to 1.04) 1.00 (0.48 to 1.82) 1.06 (0.51 to 1.93)
Previous episodes of work 1.03 (1.03 to 1.03)** 1.02 (1.01 to 1.04)* 1.02 (1.01 to 1.04)* 1.03 (1.01 to 1.04)*
Previous episodes of sickness absence 1.10 (1.09 to 1.11)** 1.08 (1.06 to 1.09)** 1.08 (1.06 to 1.09)** 1.08 (1.06 to 1.09)**
Previous episodes of unemployment 1.01 (1.01 to 1.02)** 0.98 (0.97 to 0.99)* 0.98 (0.97 to 0.99)* 0.98 (0.97 to 0.99)*
Type of cancer
 Colonic 1 1
 Rectal 1.10 (1.01 to 1.19) 1.17 (1.03 to 1.32)*
Stage
 I 1 1
 II 0.97(0.74 to 1.25) 0.99(0.75 to 1.28)
 III 1.29 (1.16 to 1.41)* 1.24 (1.11 to 1.37)*
 IV 1.63 (1.40 to 1.88)** 1.52 (1.21 to 1.91)*
 Unknown 1.11 (0.98 to 1.25) 1.08 (0.91 to 1.29)
Comorbidity
 No 1 1
 Yes 0.99 (0.90 to 1.08) 1.05 (0.96 to 1.16)
ASA
 I 1 1
 II 1.09 (1.00 to 1.19) 1.09 (0.99 to 1.20)
 III 1.42 (1.12 to 1.75)* 1.33 (1.05 to 1.67)*
 Unknown 1.02 (0.85 to 1.21) 0.92 (0.70 to 1.19)
Curative operation
 Yes 1 1
 No 1.43 (1.26 to 1.61)** 1.35 (1.11 to 1.63)*
 Unknown 1.05 (0.87 to 1.29) 1.07 (0.77 to 1.45)
Type of operation
 Rectal resection 1 1
 Colonic resection 1.0 (0.91 to 1.11) 1.10 (0.97 to 1.25)
 Explorative laparotomy or formation of an ostomy 0.91 (0.82 to 1.01) 1.05 (0.91 to 1.22)
 Local procedures 0.72 (0.56 to 0.91)* 0.78 (0.60 to 1.01)
 Unknown 0.93 (0.66 to 1.26) 0.81 (0.53 to 1.20)
Postoperative complications
 No 1 1
 Yes 1.18 (1.05 to 1.31)* 1.25 (1.11 to 1.41)*

*Significant at 0.05 level.

**Significant at <.0001 level.

†SES (socioeconomic status): education, disposal income and job type.

‡Confounders: gender, age at time of diagnosis, country of birth, marital status and year of operation.

§Depending on the year, the highest disposal income ranged from 175 500 DKr in 2001 to 299 717 DKr in 2009.

ASA, the American Society of Anesthesiologists; DKr, Danish krone.