Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To know the characteristics of the sick leave (SL) process, reasons, actual and estimated duration, and related factors. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study. SETTING: Health Centers of Burgos's Health Area. PARTICIPANTS: Active workers, selected by simple random sampling, among those who had a SL process in 2018 and 2019. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Sociodemographic variables; related to SL reasons, estimated and observed duration and job position; clinical variables: habits, comorbidities, polypharmacy and copayment. RESULTS: Nine hundred thirty-three workers, 52.4% men, age 43.6±11.4 years. The processes with the greatest difference between observed and estimated duration were neoplasms, circulatory system diseases, mental disorders, nervous system and musculoskeletal disorders. Significant difference for previous comorbidities, polypharmacy, no copayment and >55 years. 31.8% requested additional tests, 3.1% were done in mutual insurance companies; and 33.3% consultations. Higher percentage of SL in unskilled jobs and longer duration in skilled jobs. CONCLUSIONS: Primary care assumed the treatment in >90% of the SL processes. Referral to another level of care for tests or consultations may lead to a longer duration of leave given the usual delays in the health system; the percentage of tests carried out at a mutual insurance company is low. The duration of the process included the observed and estimated. The longest duration of SL corresponds to the most qualified workers and to musculoskeletal and mental disorders, and the delay, comorbidity and socio-occupational factors may have an influence.