Low temperatures increase the risk of sickness absence, especially for women, young people and third sector professionals

Newswise —

A study looking back at temperatures in Barcelona province indicates that decreased temperatures heighten the chance of taking sick leave, especially due to infectious and respiratory diseases. The investigation, conducted by CISAL and MELIS researchers, alongside ISGlobal and CIBERESP, highlights that the groups most impacted are females, youths, and non-manual workers in the service industry, who typically work indoors.

As per the research featured in Frontiers in Public Health, sick leave duration surges from two to six days after a spell of low temperatures. This spike in absenteeism may stem from heightened pathogen transmission and circulation of illnesses like bronchitis or the flu virus in indoor settings, resulting in upper respiratory tract infections.

"Keeping a check on occupational health is crucial in identifying factors leading to sick leave and devising efficient measures to enhance the well-being of the working population."

Sick leave, also known as temporary incapacity to work, is a multifaceted occurrence that has repercussions on the well-being of employees, the economy, and society as a whole in diverse ways. Therefore, as Xavier Basagaña, the study's coordinator, states, "keeping a tab on occupational health is crucial in pinpointing the factors that cause absenteeism and devising efficient measures to enhance the health and quality of life of the workforce, while also lowering the costs for businesses and the social security system."

Among those impacted the most by this trend, women stand out. As Mireia Utzet and Amaya Ayala-García note, "It's not surprising that women experience higher rates of sick leave, as they still have more vulnerable jobs and worse working conditions than men. Even in cases where this is not the situation, women tend to shoulder more family and caregiving responsibilities, especially if they have children."

The research scrutinized approximately 100,000 sick leave periods and over 40,000 salaried workers in Barcelona province from 2012 to 2015. To the researchers' surprise, they did not detect any correlation between higher temperatures and absenteeism. The study posits that this absence of a connection could stem from the composition of the analyzed group, which encompassed a larger number of employees from the service industry working indoors with air-conditioned environments.

The research, spearheaded by Fernando G. Benavides, a researcher from CISAL and CIBERESP, relied on cross-referencing social security data and records of sick leave to produce dependable outcomes at a reasonable cost.

Reference article:

Utzet M, Ayala-Garcia A, Benavides F. G, Basagaña X. “Extreme temperatures and sickness absence in the Mediterranean province of Barcelona: An occupational health issue”. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1129027. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1129027