Sickness absence > 14 days following mild traumatic brain injuries from traffic accidents: a Swedish nationwide register study
Abstract Background Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), including concussions, following traffic accidents is common. How often these injuries lead to sickness absence (SA) among working aged individuals is however insufficiently studied. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine frequency of new...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22704-5 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850172622575239168 |
|---|---|
| author | Christian Oldenburg Linnea Kjeldgård Helena Stigson Emilie Friberg |
| author_facet | Christian Oldenburg Linnea Kjeldgård Helena Stigson Emilie Friberg |
| author_sort | Christian Oldenburg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), including concussions, following traffic accidents is common. How often these injuries lead to sickness absence (SA) among working aged individuals is however insufficiently studied. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine frequency of new SA following mTBI sustained in a road traffic environment and its associations with sociodemographic and injury-related factors. Method Nationwide population-based register study. Working aged individuals (18–63), living in Sweden, who in 2014 to 2016 acquired an mTBI in a traffic accident were included based on in- and specialised out-patient health care records. Information on SA (> 14 days), disability pension, pre-injury factors (age, sex, education, marital status, type of living area, country of birth, income from work) as well as injury-related factors (type of road user, in- or outpatient health care) were used in analyses of risk factors for a new SA-spell. Odds ratios (ORs), both crude and adjusted, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with logistic regression. Results 6073 individuals were identified. 12% had a new SA spell after injury. Sociodemographic risk factors were female sex, older age and being born outside Sweden. Car occupants had higher ORs for new SA, compared to pedestrians, bicyclists, and other road users, and was also associated with longer duration spells (> 90 days). Having received in-patient health care was associated with an OR of 3.7 for new SA compared to those only receiving out-patient health care (including emergency department visits). Having received in-patient health care was also associated with longer duration spells. Conclusion A traffic related mTBI is most often a benign injury, seldom resulting in a new SA spell of longer duration. When it does, it is more likely to involve car occupants, and those who have required in-patient health care. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-226db16e42724774967ecb9e9f46a16d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-226db16e42724774967ecb9e9f46a16d2025-08-20T02:20:02ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-04-012511910.1186/s12889-025-22704-5Sickness absence > 14 days following mild traumatic brain injuries from traffic accidents: a Swedish nationwide register studyChristian Oldenburg0Linnea Kjeldgård1Helena Stigson2Emilie Friberg3Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetDivision of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetDivision of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetDivision of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetAbstract Background Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), including concussions, following traffic accidents is common. How often these injuries lead to sickness absence (SA) among working aged individuals is however insufficiently studied. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine frequency of new SA following mTBI sustained in a road traffic environment and its associations with sociodemographic and injury-related factors. Method Nationwide population-based register study. Working aged individuals (18–63), living in Sweden, who in 2014 to 2016 acquired an mTBI in a traffic accident were included based on in- and specialised out-patient health care records. Information on SA (> 14 days), disability pension, pre-injury factors (age, sex, education, marital status, type of living area, country of birth, income from work) as well as injury-related factors (type of road user, in- or outpatient health care) were used in analyses of risk factors for a new SA-spell. Odds ratios (ORs), both crude and adjusted, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with logistic regression. Results 6073 individuals were identified. 12% had a new SA spell after injury. Sociodemographic risk factors were female sex, older age and being born outside Sweden. Car occupants had higher ORs for new SA, compared to pedestrians, bicyclists, and other road users, and was also associated with longer duration spells (> 90 days). Having received in-patient health care was associated with an OR of 3.7 for new SA compared to those only receiving out-patient health care (including emergency department visits). Having received in-patient health care was also associated with longer duration spells. Conclusion A traffic related mTBI is most often a benign injury, seldom resulting in a new SA spell of longer duration. When it does, it is more likely to involve car occupants, and those who have required in-patient health care.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22704-5ConcussionSick leavePopulation-basedPedestrians |
| spellingShingle | Christian Oldenburg Linnea Kjeldgård Helena Stigson Emilie Friberg Sickness absence > 14 days following mild traumatic brain injuries from traffic accidents: a Swedish nationwide register study BMC Public Health Concussion Sick leave Population-based Pedestrians |
| title | Sickness absence > 14 days following mild traumatic brain injuries from traffic accidents: a Swedish nationwide register study |
| title_full | Sickness absence > 14 days following mild traumatic brain injuries from traffic accidents: a Swedish nationwide register study |
| title_fullStr | Sickness absence > 14 days following mild traumatic brain injuries from traffic accidents: a Swedish nationwide register study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sickness absence > 14 days following mild traumatic brain injuries from traffic accidents: a Swedish nationwide register study |
| title_short | Sickness absence > 14 days following mild traumatic brain injuries from traffic accidents: a Swedish nationwide register study |
| title_sort | sickness absence 14 days following mild traumatic brain injuries from traffic accidents a swedish nationwide register study |
| topic | Concussion Sick leave Population-based Pedestrians |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22704-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christianoldenburg sicknessabsence14daysfollowingmildtraumaticbraininjuriesfromtrafficaccidentsaswedishnationwideregisterstudy AT linneakjeldgard sicknessabsence14daysfollowingmildtraumaticbraininjuriesfromtrafficaccidentsaswedishnationwideregisterstudy AT helenastigson sicknessabsence14daysfollowingmildtraumaticbraininjuriesfromtrafficaccidentsaswedishnationwideregisterstudy AT emiliefriberg sicknessabsence14daysfollowingmildtraumaticbraininjuriesfromtrafficaccidentsaswedishnationwideregisterstudy |