Table 3.

Gender-stratified weighted HRs and 95% CIs for the risk of long-term sickness absence during follow-up from moderate, high and very high physical work demands (reference: low) in workers age 20, 40 and 60 years, including only unskilled and skilled workers

Age	Physical work demands	Men	Women
		HR (95% CI)	HR (95% CI)
20 years	Low	1	1
	Moderate	0.86 (0.42 to 1.80)	1.37 (0.86 to 2.20)
	High	0.62 (0.31 to 1.24)	1.19 (0.74 to 1.93)
	Very high	1.00 (0.55 to 1.82)	1.14 (0.77 to 1.69)
40 years	Low	1	1
	Moderate	1.06 (0.79 to 1.44)	1.35 (1.11 to 1.65)
	High	1.12 (0.84 to 1.51)	1.43 (1.16 to 1.74)
	Very high	1.55 (1.21 to 2.00)	1.53 (1.29 to 1.82)
60 years	Low	1	1
	Moderate	1.31 (0.94 to 1.82)	1.33 (1.03 to 1.71)
	High	2.04 (1.48 to 2.82)	1.70 (1.32 to 2.20)
	Very high	2.41 (1.79 to 3.26)	2.07 (1.65 to 2.59)

Adjusted for age, gender, education, year of questionnaire reply, lifestyle (BMI, smoking, leisure physical activity), psychosocial work factors (work-life balance and influence at work) and depressive symptoms (MDI).

BMI, body mass index; MDI, Major Depression Inventory.