Table 3.

Effect of previous sickness absence on current low perceived social support at work and low perceived immediate superior support

Sickness absence history*		Low social support		Low superior support
		OR	95% CI	OR	95% CI
Stable low	Crude	1.3	1.0 to 1.6	1.0	0.7 to 1.5
	Adjusted†	1.3	1.0 to 1.5	1.0	0.7 to 1.4
Distant high	Crude	1.1	0.8 to 1.5	2.1	1.4 to 3.1
	Adjusted†	1.1	0.8 to 1.5	2.1	1.4 to 3.2
Recent high	Crude	1.7	1.2 to 2.4	1.8	1.1 to 2.9
	Adjusted†	1.7	1.2 to 2.4	1.8	1.1 to 2.9
Stable high	Crude	1.5	1.1 to 2.1	2.0	1.3 to 3.1
	Adjusted†	1.5	1.1 to 2.1	2.1	1.3 to 3.3

Logistic regression analyses, crude and adjusted models.

Each sickness absence history group is contrasted to those with no registered sickness absence (reference group).

Missing responses handled using multiple imputations.

*No absence: no registered sickness absence days (SA, ie, beyond 14 days) during the follow-up period 2001–2007. Stable low: SA below the median split 2001–2007. Distant high: SA above the median split 2001–2004 and below the median split 2005–2007. Recent high: SA below the median split 2001–2004 and above the median split 2005–2007. Stable high: SA above the median split 2001–2007.

†Adjusted for age in analysis on social support index as outcome, and adjusted for age, education and work class in the analysis on low immediate superior support.