Table 3 Perceptions and beliefs about sickness absence management
Variable (short name in bold) | Total | Denmark | Norway | Sweden | p a | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N = 774 | N = 344 | N = 349 | N = 81 | ||||||
n | (%) | n | (%) | n | (%) | n | (%) | ||
Strongly agree or Agree with the following statements: | |||||||||
My patients expect that I engage in their sick leave | 430 | (55.6) | 201 | (58.4) | 190 | (54.4) | 39 | (48.2) | 0.114 |
Usually, it is not relevant for me to engage in my patients’ sick leave | 135 | (17.4) | 73 | (21.2) | 39 | (11.2) | 23 | (28.4) | < 0.001 |
It is better to let the general practitioner to handle the complicated cases | 316 | (40.8) | 131 | (38.1) | 154 | (44.1) | 31 | (38.3) | 0.254 |
It is better, if the patient is seen by a general practitioner first | 83 | (10.7) | 53 | (15.4) | 19 | (5.4) | 11 | (13.6) | < 0.001 |
Recommendations regarding sick leave is a part of my clinical tool box | 637 | (82.2) | 264 | (76.7) | 307 | (88.0) | 66 | (81.5) | < 0.001 |
Recommending fast return-to-work is important | 681 | (88.0) | 293 | (85.2) | 316 | (90.5) | 72 | (88.9) | 0.062 |
It is important to continuously adjust the patient’s return-to-work needs according to their particular situation. | 726 | (93.8) | 315 | (91.6) | 335 | (96.0) | 76 | (94.0) | 0.019 |
Managing sick leave is burdensome | 243 | (31.4) | 141 | (41.0) | 53 | (15.2) | 49 | (60.5) | < 0.001 |
Being involved in managing sick leave is professionally satisfying | 491 | (63.4) | 164 | (47.7) | 279 | (79.9) | 48 | (59.3) | < 0.001 |
The patients’ out of pocket expense is a barrier for chiropractors becoming involved in sick leave management | 253 | (32.7) | 123 | (35.8) | 106 | (30.4) | 24 | (29.6) | 0.185 |
Becoming more involved in sick leave management is a natural development of the chiropractic scope of practice | 560 | (72.4) | 229 | (66.6) | 270 | (77.4) | 61 | (75.3) | 0.008 |
Having sick leave rights would increase the professional legitimacy | 552 | (71.3) | 187 | (54.4) | 304 | (87.1) | 61 | (75.3) | < 0.001 |
Chiropractors are the best at managing sick leave in patients with musculoskeletal complaints | 551 | (79.5) | 238 | (69.2) | 313 | (89.7) | NA | < 0.001 | |
There is a good dialogue between the general practitioners and me | 315 | (45.5) | 154 | (44.8) | 161 | (46.1) | NA | 0.919 | |
I’m adequately reimbursed for the administrative part of managing sick leave | 52 | (7.5) | 12 | (3.5) | 40 | (11.5) | NA | < 0.001 | |
How many patients do you think would you see in your practice if you took on a more prominent role in managing sick leave? | |||||||||
Markedly more | 49 | (6.6) | 17 | (5.2) | 16 | (4.8) | 16 | (20.3) | < 0.001 |
A little more | 235 | (31.8) | 65 | (19.9) | 131 | (39.2) | 39 | (49.4) | |
No difference | 455 | (61.5) | 244 | (74.6) | 187 | (56.0) | 24 | (30.4) | |
A little fewer | 0 | (0) | 0 | (0) | 0 | (0) | 0 | (0) | |
Markedly fewer | 1 | (0.1) | 1 | (0.3) | 0 | (0) | 0 | (0) | |