Table 1.
Reported reasons* for sickness presenteeism during the past 12 months among random samples of Norwegian and Swedish workers between 20 and 60 years of age, 2011
| Reasons for SP | Sweden (n=686) | Norway (n=722) | Total (n=1408) | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Because I do not want to burden my colleagues | 41 | 46 | 43 | 0.059 |
| Because I enjoy my work | 30 | 44 | 37 | 0.000 |
| Because nobody else is able to carry out my responsibilities | 36 | 34 | 35 | 0.404 |
| Because I can't afford taking sick leave | 36 | 6 | 21 | 0.000 |
| Because my pride depends on not taking sick leave | 11 | 24 | 17 | 0.000 |
| Because I do not want to be considered lazy or unproductive | 12 | 21 | 16 | 0.000 |
| Because going to work was beneficial for my health | 4 | 17 | 11 | 0.000 |
| Because I do not want to be suspected of cheating | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0.689 |
| Because I am ashamed of being ill | 4 | 7 | 6 | 0.013 |
| Because I want to maintain my social network | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0.000 |
| Because I am worried about being laid off | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0.179 |
Figures are percentages and p value (χ2 tests). The data were weighed according to age, gender and country of origin.
*The reported reasons for sickness presenteeism were selected by the respondents from a closed list in the questionnaire.
SP, sickness presenteeism.