Physical Leisure-Time Activities and Long-Term Sick Leave: A 15-Month Prospective Study of Nurses??? Aides

Abstract

Describe the findings of past studies relating physical activity to health status. Understand the ways in which nurses’ aides who engage in regular physical activity outside of work differ from those who do not. Explain the findings relating sick leave to specific forms of physical activity. Discuss the implications of this and similar studies regarding the relationship between non–work-related exertion and health benefits. The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between physical leisure-time activities and the occurrence of long-term sick leaves in nurses’ aides. Of 5563 Norwegian nurses’ aides who were not on sick leave when they completed a questionnaire in 1999, 4744 (85.3%) completed a second questionnaire 15 months later. Brisk walks (odds ratio [OR], 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 0.98), aerobics or gymnastics (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.49 to 1.02), and other physical leisure activities (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66 to 1.00) for 20 minutes or more at least once a week predicted fewer long-term sick leaves (>14 days), after adjustments for baseline health complaints, demographic and familial characteristics, former and current smoking, and work factors. In conclusion, regular physical leisure-time activity may be associated with a reduced risk of long-term sickness absence in nurses’ aides.