ArticleBMC public health2013
Reasons for and factors associated with issuing sickness certificates for longer periods than necessary: results from a nationwide survey of physicians.
Article in BMC public health, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- A structured framework for assessment of rehabilitation and sick-listing (STARS) - experiences among healthcare professionals.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2027Trial
- How consistent are sick leave assessments? Variation among primary care physicians in Sweden.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2026Article
- [Day-1 sickness certification : Evidence, economics, and implications for outpatient orthopaedic practice].Orthopadie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2026Review
- Primary care physicians' concerned voices on sickness certification after a period of reorganization. Focus group interviews in Sweden.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2020Article
- Sick-listing adherence: a register study of 1.4 million episodes of sickness benefit 2010-2013 in Sweden.BMC public health · 2015Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPhysicians' work with sickness certifications is an understudied field. Physicians' experience of sickness certifying for longer periods than necessary has been previous reported. However, the extent and frequency of such sickness certification is largely unknown. The aims of this study were: a) to explore the frequency of sickness certifying for longer periods than necessary among physicians working in different clinical settings; b) to examine main reasons for issuing sickness certificates for longer periods than necessary; and c) to examine factors associated with unnecessary issued sickness certificates.
methodsIn 2008, all physicians living and working in Sweden (a total of 36,898) were sent an invitation to participate in a questionnaire study concerning their sick-listing practices. A total of 22,349 (60.6%) returned the questionnaire. In the current study, physicians reporting handling sickness certification consultations at least weekly were included in the analyses, a total of 12,348.
resultsThe proportion of physicians reporting issuing sickness certificates for longer periods than actually necessary varied greatly between different types of clinics, with the highest frequency among those working at: occupational medicine, orthopedic, primary health care, and psychiatry clinics; and lowest among those working in: eye, dermatology, ear/nose/throat, oncology, surgery, and infection clinics. Logistic analyses showed that sickness certifying for longer periods than necessary due to limitations in the health care system was particularly common among physicians working at occupational medicine, orthopedic, and primary health care clinics. Sickness certifying for longer periods than necessary due to patient-related factors was much more common among physicians working at psychiatric clinics. In addition to differences between clinics, frequency of sickness certificates issued for longer periods than necessary varied by age, physicians' experiences of different situations, and perceived problems.
conclusionsThis study showed that physicians issued sickness certificates for longer periods than actually necessary quite frequently at some types of clinics. Differences between clinics were to a large extent associated with frequency of problems, lack of time, delicate interactions with patients, and need for more competence.
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