Women suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis in Norway are more likely to take sick leave.

BACKGROUND

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) decreases the quality of life and affects the working life of sufferers. There is a scarcity of studies of how CRS affects sick leave at the population level, particularly for women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from questionnaires were collected in Telemark, Norway in 2013 (N = 15,484) and again in 2018 (N = 13,966). Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for having sick leave in the last 12 months, adjusted for sex, asthma, smoking and age, were calculated, as well as the relationship to occupational groups. Comparisons were made between women and men.

RESULTS

Subjects with CRS had 64% increased odds for taking sick leave compared to subjects without CRS (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.45-1.85) in 2013, with similar results in 2018 (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.41-1.81). Women with CRS were almost twice as likely to take sick leave than men with CRS (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.56-2.46) in 2013. Sick leave was more common in subjects with CRS in some occupational groups.

CONCLUSION

CRS is a chronic and debilitating disease that appears to affect sick leave on a population level, with women being more affected than men. Optimised treatment for CRS might reduce sick leave and associated costs.