Table 2.
Changes in numbers of new episodes of sickness absence during weeks 11–29 from 2019 to 2020 by category and duration of sickness absence
| Category of sickness absence | Duration of absence ≤ 7 days | Duration of absence > 7 days | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number in 2019 | Number in 2020 | Percentage changea (95%CI) | Number in 2019 | Number in 2020 | Percentage changea (95%CI) | |||
| All categories | 379 770 | 300 545 | −20.9 | (−21.2 to −20.5) | 88 431 | 154 395 | 74.6 | (73.2 to 76.0) |
| All categories except COVID-19 | 379 770 | 250 449 | −34.1 | (−34.4 to −33.7) | 88 431 | 103 320 | 16.8 | (15.8 to 17.9) |
| Asthma | 1471 | 1647 | 12.0 | (4.4 to 20.1) | 373 | 1264 | 239 | (202 to 280) |
| Back problems | 14 642 | 12 080 | −17.5 | (−19.5 to −15.5) | 5676 | 5952 | 4.9 | (1.1 to 8.7) |
| Blood disorder | 823 | 504 | −38.8 | (−45.2 to −31.6) | 463 | 399 | −13.8 | (−24.6 to −1.5) |
| Cancer | 825 | 428 | −48.1 | (−53.8 to −41.7) | 1269 | 1040 | −18.0 | (−24.5 to −11.0) |
| Cardiac and circulatory | 3315 | 2811 | −15.2 | (−19.4 to −10.8) | 1924 | 2117 | 10.0 | (3.4 to 17.0) |
| Chest and respiratory | 12 175 | 8034 | −34.0 | (−35.8 to −32.1) | 3831 | 7347 | 91.8 | (84.4 to 99.4) |
| Cough, flu | 69 177 | 30 507 | −55.9 | (−56.5 to −55.3) | 4071 | 9966 | 145 | (136 to 154) |
| Dental and oral problems | 6489 | 4862 | −25.1 | (−27.8 to −22.2) | 562 | 458 | −18.5 | (−28.0 to −7.8) |
| Ear, nose, throat | 16 346 | 9840 | −39.8 | (−41.3 to −38.3) | 2909 | 2391 | −17.8 | (−22.1 to −13.2) |
| Endocrine, glandular problems | 1212 | 814 | −32.8 | (−38.5 to −26.6) | 618 | 502 | −18.8 | (−27.8 to −8.6) |
| Eye problems | 4673 | 2998 | −35.8 | (−38.7 to −32.8) | 1313 | 785 | −40.2 | (−45.3 to −34.7) |
| Gastrointestinal problems | 98 113 | 56 124 | −42.8 | (−43.4 to −42.2) | 5614 | 4661 | −17.0 | (−20.1 to −13.7) |
| Genitourinary, gynaecological | 11 977 | 9199 | −23.2 | (−25.3 to −21.1) | 4175 | 2545 | −39.0 | (−42.0 to −36.0) |
| Headache, migraine | 33 292 | 33 648 | 1.1 | (−0.5 to 2.6) | 1309 | 1763 | 34.7 | (25.4 to 44.7) |
| Infectious diseases | 2463 | 4174 | 69.5 | (61.2 to 78.1) | 897 | 3681 | 310 | (281 to 341) |
| Injury, fracture | 7160 | 5643 | −21.2 | (−23.9 to −18.4) | 6155 | 4998 | −18.8 | (−21.8 to −15.7) |
| Mental health | 14 973 | 15 768 | 5.3 | (3.0 to 7.7) | 20 750 | 30 283 | 45.9 | (43.4 to 48.5) |
| Nervous system disorders | 1424 | 1092 | −23.3 | (−29.1 to −17) | 753 | 749 | −0.5 | (−10.1 to 10.1) |
| Other musculoskeletal disorders | 18 215 | 13 741 | −24.6 | (−26.2 to −22.9) | 10 204 | 8004 | −21.6 | (−23.8 to −19.2) |
| Pregnancy-related disorders | 7110 | 5618 | −21.0 | (−23.7 to −18.2) | 2800 | 3640 | 30.0 | (23.8 to 36.6) |
| Skin disorders | 3201 | 2762 | −13.7 | (−18.0 to −9.2) | 1054 | 1196 | 13.5 | (4.5 to 23.3) |
| Other and unknown | 50 694 | 28 155 | −44.5 | (−45.3 to −43.6) | 11 711 | 9579 | −18.2 | (−20.4 to −16) |
aCalculated as 100*(Number in 2020 – Number in 2019)/Number in 2019.