Absence from work due to health reasons among elementary school teachers in the public school system of Minas Gerais

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze the factors associated with absence from work due to health reasons among elementary school teachers in the public school system of Minas Gerais. This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed data from a web survey called the ProfSMinas Project. The dependent variable was the report of absence from work due to health reasons in the previous 12 months. The independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, job characteristics, occupational stressors, and health conditions. Crude and adjusted associations between variables were estimated using Pearson's Chi-square test and Logistic Regression. A total of 767 teachers participated, and the prevalence of absence from work due to health problems in the year prior to the survey was 52.4%. The final model revealed that the chance of absence from work due to health reasons was higher among female teachers, those who reported high noise levels in the classroom, those with effort-reward imbalance at work, those who reported a medical diagnosis of chronic noncommunicable diseases, depression and/or anxiety, and those with suspected voice disorders. It was concluded that occupational stressors increased the chances of absence from work due to health problems among public basic education teachers in the State.