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. 2021 Oct 18;95(2):409–418. doi: 10.1007/s00420-021-01788-7

Table 2.

Adjusted association of depressive symptom severity with weeks of sick leave during 12 months in men and women with full- and part-time employment (n = 12,405)

Count part of zero-inflated Poisson model
Exp (B) [95%CI]
Men Women
Univariable Multivariable Univariable Multivariable
PHQ-8 (depressive symptoms, reference = no/minimal)
 Mild 1.51 [1.44;1.59] 1.33 [1.27;1.40] 1.42 [1.37;1.49] 1.37 [1.31;1.43]
 Moderate 2.11 [1.96;2.26] 1.61 [1.50;1.73]a 2.37 [2.25;2.50] 2.04 [1.93;2.15]
 Moderately severe 2.43 [2.19;2.71] 1.91 [1.71;2.13] 3.03 [2.81;3.27] 2.54 [2.35;2.75]
 Severe 5.34 [4.58;6.23] 3.84 [3.29;4.50] 4.02 [3.58;4.51] 2.96 [2.63;3.33]
Age group (reference = 18–39 years)
 40–59 years 1.65 [1.57;1.74] 1.35 [1.28;1.43] 1.61 [1.55;1.68] 1.41 [1.34;1.47]
  ≥ 60 years 3.21 [2.99;3.44] 2.40 [2.22;2.59] 2.04 [1.90;2.19] 1.61 [1.49;1.75]
BMI (reference = normal weight)
 Underweight 0.48 [0.30;0.77] 0.56 [0.35;0.90] 0.83 [0.72;0.94] 0.82 [0.72;0.93]
 Overweight 1.29 [1.23;1.35] 1.14 [1.08;1.19] 1.45 [1.39;1.51] 1.26 [1.21;1.31]
 Obesity 1.72 [1.63;1.82] 1.24 [1.17;1.31] 1.63 [1.55;1.70] 1.26 [1.20;1.32]
Smoking status (reference = never smoked)
 Daily 1.78 [1.68;1.88] 1.43 [1.35;1.51] 1.33 [1.27;1.39] 1.08 [1.03;1.13]
 Occasionally 0.97 [0.89;1.07] 0.99 [0.91;1.09] 0.78 [0.72;0.85] 0.80 [0.73;0.87]
 Quit smoking 1.66 [1.58;1.75] 1.30 [1.23;1.37] 1.15 [1.10;1.20] 1.01 [0.96;1.05]
Marital status (reference = single)
 Married/living with partner 1.34 [1.28;1.41] 1.07 [1.01;1.13] 1.21 [1.16;1.26] 0.98 [0.93;1.02]
 Widowed 2.15 [1.73;2.68] 1.36 [1.09;1.70] 2.21 [2.00;2.44] 1.37 [1.23;1.52]
 Divorced/separated from partner 1.92 [1.77;2.07] 1.38 [1.27;1.49] 1.53 [1.45;1.62] 1.08 [1.02;1.15]
Socioeconomic-status (reference = high)
 Low 2.38 [2.22;2.56] 1.78 [1.66;1.91] 1.76 [1.65;1.87] 1.28 [1.20;1.37]
 Medium 2.08 [1.97,2.21] 1.83 [1.73;1.94] 1.39 [1.33;1.45] 1.22 [1.16;1.27]
Number of comorbidities 1.46 [1.43;1.49] 1.24 [1.21;1.26] 1.38 [1.36;1.41] 1.18 [1.15;1.20]
Logit part of zero-inflated multivariable Poisson model
B [95%CI]
Men Women
PHQ-8 (depressive symptoms, reference = no/minimal)*
 Mild −0.49 [−0.67;−0.31] −0.41 [−0.56;−0.26]
 Moderate −0.94 [−1.31;−0.57]b −0.74 [−1.01;−0.47]
 Moderately severe −0.75 [−1.36;−0.14] −0.82 [−1.29;−0.35]
 Severe −0.91 [−2.25;0.43] −1.82 [−3.03;−0.61]
Age group (reference = 18–39 years)
 40–59 years 0.77 [0.59;0.96] 0.99 [0.81;1.16]
  ≥ 60 years 1.91 [1.65;2.17] 1.60 [1.34;1.86]
Socioeconomic-status (reference = high)
 Low 0.69 [0.46;0.93] 0.79 [0.58;1.01]
 Medium 0.45 [0.28;0.63] 0.28 [0.13;0.43]
Number of comorbidities −0.31 [−0.42;−0.20] −0.30 [−0.40;−0.19]

*More severe depressive symptoms result in smaller log odds of certainly having zero sick leave weeks

aInterpretation example: Compared to men with no or minimal depressive symptoms, men with moderate depressive symptoms have a 1.61 times higher number of sick leave weeks

bInterpretation example: Compared to men with no or minimal depressive symptoms, the log odds of certainly having zero sick leave weeks are −0.94 in men with moderate depressive symptoms