Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39350147›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2024

Gender differences in mental health-related sickness absence in the education sector.

Sheila Timp, Nicky D van Foreest, Willem van Rhenen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Facilitators and Barriers to Mental Health Leaves and Return to Work Among Canadian Teachers.New solutions : a journal of environmental and occupational health policy : NS · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Sheila TimpArbo Unie, Laan Corpus Den Hoorn 102, 4, Groningen, 9728 JR, the Netherlands.
Nicky D van ForeestFaculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, Nettelbosje 2, Groningen, 9747 AE, the Netherlands. n.d.van.foreest@rug.nl.
Willem van RhenenArbo Unie, Laan Corpus Den Hoorn 102, 4, Groningen, 9728 JR, the Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe education sector experiences high rates of sickness absence, primarily due to mental health disorders. This issue poses significant challenges, not only for the affected employees but also for their colleagues, pupils, the organization, and the society as a whole. Several factors are likely to contribute to this issue, including work-related factors and gender dynamics, as the education sector has a high proportion of female employees.

methodsIn this study, we use statistical methods to compare the average duration of sickness absence due to mental disorders in the education sector with other sectors. Additionally, we explore the influence of gender, age, and working hours on the duration of sickness absence. For our study we use a large dataset consisting of approximately 200,000 cases of sickness absence due to mental disorders, with more than 32,000 cases from the education sector.

resultsOur analysis shows that average sickness absence duration is consistently longer in the education sector than in other sectors, even after accounting for gender and age. Specifically, the average duration of sickness due to mental disorders in the education sector is 235 days, compared to 188 days in other sectors. We also observe gender differences in absence duration in all sectors, with an interaction effect indicating that working in education affects recovery rates more for men than for women. Consequently, the gender difference in absence duration is smaller in the education sector than in other sectors.

conclusionUsing a large dataset, we find significant differences in absence duration between employees in the education sector and those in other sectors. Other factors, such as gender, also influence sickness absence duration, but to a lesser extent. Notably, the gender effect on absence duration is smaller in the education sector compared to other sectors.

Indexed as

Mental DisordersSick LeaveAbsenteeismAdultEducational PersonnelFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSex FactorsTime FactorsYoung AdultEducationGenderLong term sickness absenceMental disordersSickness absence duration

Identifiers

PMID39350147
PMCPMC11440751

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.