Description

The Self-Reported Use of Sick Days (SRUOSD) is a standardized self-report instrument designed to assess the frequency, duration, and patterns of sickness-related absenteeism over a specified reference period. The questionnaire provides a practical and reliable method for quantifying the number of work or school days missed due to illness, enabling researchers, employers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to evaluate the impact of physical and mental health on productivity, attendance, and overall functioning.

Absenteeism due to illness is widely recognized as an important indicator of individual health status, occupational well-being, organizational performance, and healthcare utilization. The SRUOSD captures participants’ self-reported sick leave behavior, including the total number of sick days, frequency of absence episodes, duration of each absence, and, where applicable, the reasons contributing to sickness-related leave. This information provides valuable insight into the relationship between health conditions, psychosocial factors, workplace characteristics, and functional capacity.

The instrument is extensively used in occupational health, organizational psychology, public health, epidemiology, health economics, human resource management, educational research, and clinical outcome studies. It is particularly valuable for evaluating the effects of chronic disease, mental health disorders, workplace stress, burnout, job satisfaction, work engagement, organizational climate, and health promotion programs on employee attendance and productivity. The SRUOSD also contributes to economic evaluations by estimating productivity losses associated with illness-related absenteeism.

Data Analysis and Use

The analysis of data obtained from the Self-Reported Use of Sick Days (SRUOSD) involves comprehensive statistical evaluation of sickness-related absenteeism patterns and their association with demographic, occupational, clinical, and psychosocial variables. Individual responses are converted into quantitative measures that allow researchers to examine both the frequency and duration of sickness absence, as well as broader patterns of work or school attendance.

Psychometric evaluation includes the assessment of internal consistency, where applicable, particularly when the questionnaire contains multiple items assessing different aspects of absenteeism. Test–retest reliability may also be evaluated to determine the stability of self-reported responses across repeated assessments. Construct validity is commonly established through comparisons with official attendance records, employer databases, occupational health reports, and validated measures of health status, work ability, burnout, psychological distress, and functional impairment.

Statistical analyses frequently include descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, regression models, generalized linear models, survival analyses, multilevel analyses, structural equation modeling (SEM), and longitudinal analyses to investigate predictors of sickness absence. Researchers commonly examine relationships between absenteeism and variables such as physical health, chronic illness, anxiety, depression, occupational stress, burnout, job satisfaction, organizational support, workplace demands, work engagement, and quality of life.

The SRUOSD is widely used in occupational health surveillance, intervention studies, organizational research, economic evaluations, and public health investigations. It provides valuable evidence for monitoring workforce health, evaluating return-to-work programs, assessing the effectiveness of workplace interventions, and informing organizational policies aimed at improving employee well-being and reducing absenteeism.

Objective

The primary objective of the Self-Reported Use of Sick Days (SRUOSD) is to provide a reliable, valid, and standardized assessment of sickness-related absenteeism by measuring the number, frequency, and duration of sick leave episodes reported by individuals over a defined period.

The questionnaire enables researchers and healthcare professionals to evaluate the impact of health conditions, psychological well-being, occupational demands, and environmental factors on attendance behavior and work participation. By identifying patterns of absenteeism, the instrument supports early recognition of employees or students who may experience health-related difficulties requiring further assessment or intervention.

The SRUOSD also serves as an important outcome measure in occupational health research, clinical trials, workplace wellness programs, rehabilitation studies, and public health initiatives. It facilitates the evaluation of interventions designed to improve employee health, reduce sickness absence, enhance workplace productivity, promote sustainable work participation, and strengthen organizational well-being.

Scoring

The Self-Reported Use of Sick Days (SRUOSD) typically consists of questions asking participants to report the number of sick days, frequency of sickness absence episodes, and, when applicable, the duration and reasons for each absence within a specified reference period, such as the previous month, six months, or twelve months.

Depending on the version of the questionnaire, responses may be recorded as continuous numerical values, categorical frequency responses, or Likert-type ratings describing perceived health-related absence patterns. Individual responses are summarized to produce measures of total sickness absence, frequency of absence episodes, average duration of sick leave, and overall absenteeism burden.

Higher scores or larger reported values generally indicate greater sickness-related absenteeism, reflecting increased health-related work or school absence and potentially greater functional impairment. Lower scores indicate fewer sick days and better attendance. Interpretation of results should consider the specific assessment period, occupational context, health status, and demographic characteristics of the target population.

When used in research, the questionnaire is commonly analyzed alongside complementary measures of physical health, mental health, work ability, presenteeism, productivity, burnout, job satisfaction, and quality of life. Psychometric evaluation should include Cronbach’s alpha (where applicable), test–retest reliability, construct validity, criterion validity, and normative comparisons to ensure accurate interpretation across different occupational and clinical populations.

References

Goss, J. D., & Wright, S. (1990). Sick Leave Absenteeism and the Quality of Working Life. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 3(2), 140–147.

Johns, G. (1997). Contemporary Issues in Absenteeism Research. In C. L. Cooper & I. T. Robertson (Eds.), International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (Vol. 12, pp. 115–173). Wiley.

Loeppke, R., Taitel, M., Haufle, V., Parry, T., Kessler, R. C., & Jinnett, K. (2009). Health and Productivity as a Business Strategy: A Multiemployer Study. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 51(4), 411–428.

Sargent, L. D., & Terry, D. J. (2000). The Role of Stress and Strain in the Relationship Between Absenteeism and Job Performance. Work & Stress, 14(4), 290–303.

Taris, T. W., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2015). The Relationship Between Work Stress, Burnout, and Absenteeism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analytic Perspective. Work & Stress, 29(3), 217–238.