[Absenteeism as an indicator of health status of patients with long-term and frequent diseases]].

Results of the feasibility analysis of using sickness absenteeism as a measure of worker health condition, especially in long (above 30 days p.a.) and often (above 3 cases p.a.) ailing workers have been reported. Information on health condition of 5197 random-selected textile industry workers and their sickness absenteeism over one year period served as teh basis of the study. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive value of the sickness absenteeism due to most frequently diagnosed illnesses in the investigated population were employed. Sickness absenteeism has proved to be a specific, but not very sensitive health condition measure. In the groups of long and frequently ailing persons, sickness absenteeism has proved to be the more sensitive but less specific measure than in the whole investigated group. Among the frequently ailing group, the percentage of persons absent because of digestive system diseases, circulatory system diseases and back diseases satisfactorily approximates the percentage of the chronically sick.