Sick leave, disability pension and health-care-seeking behaviour prior to stroke, among people aged 30-65: a case-control study

Abstract

Primary objective: To explore sick leave, disability pension and health-care-seeking behaviour among people 30-65 years of age prior to their stroke in 2001 in the county of Ostergötland, Sweden.

Research design: A register-based, retrospective case-control study for the period 1 January 1998-31 December 2000. Cases (n=212): patients aged 30-65 with first-ever stroke in 2001. Controls (n=4606): people aged 30-65, randomly selected from the same base population.

Main outcomes and results: More than 91 days of accumulated sick leave among women was associated with increased likelihood of developing stroke (OR=1.89). Among men, 29-90 days and more than 91 days on sick leave increased the likelihood of stroke (OR=2.34 and OR=3.43, respectively).

Conclusion: Frequent health-care-seeking behaviour is not a tool for identifying women who develop stroke, while it may be an indicator for men. Accumulated sick leave may be a tool for identifying men and women with higher risk of stroke.