If smoking increases absences, does quitting reduce them?

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the impact of smoking, quitting, and time since quit on absences from work. Methods: Data from the nationally representative Tobacco Use Supplements of the 1992/93, 1995/96, and 1998/99 Current Population Surveys were used. The study included full time workers aged between 18-64 years, yielding a sample size of 383 778 workers. A binary indicator of absence due to sickness in the last week was analysed as a function of smoking status including time since quit for former smokers. Extensive demographic variables were included as controls in all models. Results: In initial comparisons between current and former smokers, smoking increased absences, but quitting did not reduce them. However, when length of time since quit was examined, it was discovered that those who quit within the last year, and especially the last three months, had a much greater probability of absences than did current smokers. As the time since quitting increased, absences returned to a rate somewhere between that of never and current smokers. Interactions between health and smoking status significantly improved the fit of the model. Conclusions: Smokers who quit reduced their absences over time but increase their absences immediately after quitting. Quitting ill may account for some but not all of this short run impact.

Health-related behaviours and sickness absence from work

“…In addition to heavy and moderate current smoking, former smoking slightly increased sickness absence although this association reached statistical significance only in women. The finding of increased sickness absence levels among former smokers is consistent with previous studies 4 5 8. Smoking has long-term health-damaging effects that may increase sickness absence even after quitting.…”

“…In previous research, alcohol use has attracted most attention, with increased sickness absence levels found among heavy alcohol users but also among abstainers 1 2 3. In addition, smoking,4 5 lack of physical activity,6 and high body weight7 have been associated with increased sickness absence. However, few studies have addressed several health-related behaviours in order to compare their relative importance 8 9…”

Impact of work-related factors, lifestyle, and work ability on sickness absence among Dutch construction workers

“…It has also been shown that obese employees were 1.74 and 1.61 times more likely to experience high and moderate levels of absenteeism, respectively (33). The association between smoking and increased risk of sickness absence confirms the findings of previous studies (34,35). In our study of construction workers with a considerable physical work load, normal and vigorous physical activity during leisure time were not associated with any duration of absenteeism after adjustment for other risk factors.…”

Does smoking increase sick leave? Evidence using register data on Swedish workers

“…Typically, the outcome measure has been based on self-reported absences that have often concerned a limited time period. In Sindelar et al, 15 the outcome measure was a binary indicator of self-reported sickness absence in the previous week. Similarly, Bush and Wooden 16 and Wooden and Bush 17 used an outcome measure that concerned any sickness absence during the previous 2 weeks.…”