Reasons behind sickness presenteeism: insights from four national surveys in Latvia

Introduction: Sickness presenteeism—working despite being ill—is influenced
by work demands, personal circumstances, and socio-demographic factors. This
study investigates the prevalence of sickness presenteeism and its self-reported
reasons across socio-demographic groups in Latvia.
Methods: Data were pooled from four consecutive cross-sectional surveys
conducted from 2006 to 2018, representing a sample of 6,368 hired workers.
Logistic regression was used to assess associations between presenteeism and
socio-demographic variables (gender, age, education, income, and job position),
while chi-squared tests examined differences in reasons for presenteeism.
Results: Overall, 11% of respondents reported working while ill in the past year.
The most common reasons were a lack of replacement possibilities (27.7%),
financial considerations (25.5%), specific work-related aspects (17.4%), and mild
illness (14.0%). Significant socio-demographic differences were observed, with
gender, income level, and job position influencing the reasons for presenteeism.
Discussion: These findings underscore the need for targeted workplace
policies, including strategies to address replacement gaps, financial insecurity,
and job-related pressures. Future research should explore cross-national
comparisons and the impact of evolving work patterns, such as telework, on
presenteeism trends.