Table 1: Distribution and univariate associations of sample characteristics with sickness absence
Characteristics	Sickness absence n (%)		p value	Univariate association OR (95% CI)
	No	Yes
Work-family balance
Poor	333 (10)	119 (13)	0.030	1.28 (1.02 to 1.60)
Good	2919 (90)	815 (87)		1
Work-related characteristics
Type of contract
Non-permanent contract	801 (25)	154 (16)	< 0.001	0.60 (0.50 to 0.73)
Permanent	2451 (75)	780 (84)		1
Job tenure (years at the current workplace)
<1 year	282 (9)	56 (6)	0.027	0.66 (0.49 to 0.89)
1–4 years	990 (30)	285 (31)		0.96 (0.82 to 1.13)
≥5 years	1980 (61)	593 (63)		1
Weekly working hours
Intensive (ie , working ≥48 hrs and in free time)	365 (11)	60 (6)	<0.001	0.54 (0.41 to 0.72)
Non-intensive (ie , <48 hrs)	2887 (89)	874 (94)		1
Determination over schedule
No (schedule set by company)	2004 (62)	460 (49)	< 0.001	1.65 (1.43 to 1.92)
Yes (schedule set by employee)	1248 (38)	474 (51)		1
Job insecurity
Yes	443 (14)	155 (16)	0.022	1.26 (1.03 to 1.54)
No	2809 (86)	779 (84)		1
Work intensity
Yes	2681 (82)	787 (84)	0.194	1.14 (0.93 to 1.39)
No	571 (18)	147 (16)		1
Company size
Worked alone	218 (7)	48 (5)	0.033	1
2–4 workers	295 (9)	75 (8)		1.15 (0.77 to 1.73)
5–9 workers	403 (13)	119 (13)		1.34 (0.92 to 1.95)
10–49 workers	1139 (36)	380 (41)		1.51 (1.09 to 2.11)
50–499 workers	910 (3)	243 (26)		1.21 (0.86 to 1.71)
500+ workers	253 (8)	63 (7)		1.13 (0.74 to 1.72)
Training paid
No	2187 (67)	619 (66)	0.576	0.96 (0.82 to 1.12)
Yes	1065 (33)	315 (34)		1
Job satisfaction
Low satisfaction	223 (7)	161 (17)	< 0.001	2.83 (2.28 to 3.52)
Satisfaction	3029 (93)	773 (83)		1
Household characteristics
Cohabitation status
Yes	2184 (85)	137 (19)	0.009	0.75 (0.61 to 0.93)
No	383 (15)	587 (81)		1
Childcare
Yes	1908 (59)	588 (63)	0.026	1.19 (1.02 to 1.38)
No	1344 (41)	348 (37)		1
Contribution to household earnings
Sole earner	2057 (63)	587 (63)	0.863	0.93 (0.71 to 1.21)
Dual earner	931 (29)	266 (28)		0.93 (0.70 to 1.24)
All equally	262 (8)	81 (9)		1
Income
Lowest	776 (24)	268 (29)	< 0.001	1.65 (1.33 to 2.04)
Lower	756 (23)	277 (30)		1.75 (1.42 to 2.16)
Higher	855 (26)	208 (22)		1.16 (0.93 to 1.45)
Highest	865 (27)	181 (19)		1
Demographic characteristics
Sex of respondent
Female	1633 (50)	570 (61)	< 0.001	1.55 (1.34 to 1.80)
Male	1619 (50)	364 (39)		1
Age of respondent
15–29	492 (15)	111 (12)	0.033	0.74 (0.58 to 0.94)
30–49	1487 (47)	448 (49)		0.99 (0.84 to 1.16)
50–65	1186 (38)	360 (39)		1
Ethnicity
Foreign-born	385 (12)	119 (13)	0.455	1.08 (0.87 to 1.350)
Native	2867 (88)	815 (87)		1
Socio-economic characteristics
Education of respondent (ISCED)
Primary or less education	82 (3)	34 (4)	0.064	1.59 (1.05 to 2.41)
Secondary education	1508 (46)	454 (49)		1.15 (0.99 to 1.35)
Post-secondary education	218 (7)	69 (7)		1.21 (0.90 to 1.63)
Tertiary education	1444 (44)	377 (40)		1
Occupational class (ISCO)
Legislators, senior officials, managers, professionals	1219 (38)	260 (28)	< 0.001	1
Technicians, associate professionals, clerks	838 (26)	234 (25)		1.31 (1.07 to 1.59)
Service workers†	1183 (36)	439 (47)		1.74 (1.46 to 2.07)
Labor market sector
Agriculture, forestry, fishing	73 (3)	15 (2)	0.002	0.59 (0.34 to 1.04)
Industry	647 (20)	175 (19)		0.78 (0.64 to 0.95)
Services	1159 (36)	288 (31)		0.72 (0.60 to 0.85)
Public administration and defence	196 (6)	58 (6)		0.85 (0.62 to 1.17)
Other services	1127 (35)	391 (42)		1
Company sector
Private	1853 (57)	426 (46)	< 0.001	0.60 (0.52 to 0.70)
Public	1216 (38)	464 (50)		1
Other sector	174 (5)	42 (4)		0.63 (0.44 to 0.90)
Health status and psychosocial work conditions
Stress
No	2506 (77)	577 (62)	< 0.001	1
Yes	746 (23)	357 (38)		2.08 (1.78 to 2.43)
Psychosocial distress
No	2000 (62)	387 (41)	< 0.001	1
Yes	1252 (38)	547 (59)		2.26 (1.95 to 2.62)
† Service workers shop and market sales workers/Skilled agricultural and fishery workers/Craft and related trades workers/Plant and machine operators and assemblers/Elementary occupations OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval