Sickness absenteeism among public servants in the Amazon region during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study (2019-2022)

TL;DR

This study examines sickness absenteeism among public servants in the Amazon during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing trends in health issues and demographics.

Contribution

The study provides a detailed longitudinal analysis of sickness absenteeism in the Amazon region during the pandemic.

Findings

Infectious and mental health issues were the most common causes of absenteeism.

Women and employees aged 30-39 had the highest rates of sickness absence.

Administrative staff accounted for the majority of absences.

Abstract

Characterizing sickness absenteeism is essential for understanding the
health-disease process within the public sector.

To characterize the profile of sickness absence among civil servants during
the COVID-19 pandemic period.

This longitudinal, descriptive study used secondary data from sickness
absence records obtained from both the Integrated Civil Servant Health Care
Subsystem and the Federal University of Amapá, covering the period from 2019
to 2022. Absences were analyzed according to sex, age group, occupational
category, and International Classification of Diseases group.

A total of 675 sickness absences were recorded, corresponding to 12,553 lost
workdays, of which 444 were associated with an International Classification
of Diseases code. The most frequent diagnostic groups were infectious and
parasitic diseases (15.09%), mental and behavioral disorders (12.39%), and
diseases of the digestive system (11.49%). Absences were more prevalent
among women (68.15%) and among employees aged 30-39 years (36.59%).
Administrative staff accounted for the highest proportion of absences
(59.09%).

The profile of sickness absenteeism differed from that observed in other
public institutions. The findings underscore concerns regarding
underreporting and highlight the need to improve institutional communication
and to implement targeted strategies aimed at promoting workers’ mental and
oral health.

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