The correlation between clinical and demographic parameters and sickness absence in diabetic employees

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most significant and prevalent chronic diseases. Individuals with diabetes can still encounter substantial difficulties in finding and keeping their job because of their condition. The purpose of this study was to examine the scope of diabetes‐related absence from work and its relationship with variables such as type of employer, workload, the severity of illness, and type of treatment. Materials and Methods: We conducted a case‐control study, including 220 diabetic patients and 230 controls. Information regarding absence from work was obtained by reviewing medical records, and general patient information was retrieved by conducting telephone interviews. Results: Patients with diabetes had, annually, more days of absence than non‐diabetic patients (8.5 vs. 2.7, respectively p and lt; 0.001). Among diabetic patients, public‐sector employees were absent more than private‐sector employees (9.0 vs. 7.2 days, respectively, p and lt; 0.05). A positive correlation was found between workload (measured by stamina) and absence (Pearson correlation = 0.098, p = 0.04). Concerning the clinical variables, we found that employees suffering from diabetic complications exhibited higher absence rates (15.5 vs. 5.7 days, respectively, p and lt; 0.003). Parameters like HbA1c levels, patient age, disease duration, and type of treatment did not differ significantly amongst the groups with regards to absence rates. Conclusions: The main variables affecting absence from work were not medical but rather sociodemographic: education, workload, and type of employer. The results of this study reinforce the perception that well‐controlled diabetic employees can be combined in most types of occupations without fear of increased absence from work.