Returning to work after sickness absence in Stockholm’s care sector
Gender, mental health, and long-term workforce sustainability
About the project
What helps healthcare workers return to work after sickness absence – and remain at work over time?
Women make up a large share of Stockholm’s care workforce, while care occupations are also characterized by high levels of sickness absence, emotional strain, and mental health challenges.
This project studies how women in Stockholm’s care sector return to work following sickness absence and how mental health, socioeconomic background, and organizational context shape their trajectories.
Why this matters
Women in Sweden take approximately twice as many sick-leave days as men, according to the project material, and mental health conditions are the leading cause of long-term absence.
At the same time, Stockholm’s healthcare system includes both public and private providers. Understanding whether organizational conditions affect successful and sustainable returns to work can therefore provide important knowledge for healthcare workforce planning.
What we are studying
The project examines:
- Short- and long-term return-to-work trajectories.
- Whether employees remain at work after returning.
- Repeated periods of sickness absence.
- The role of mental health diagnoses, medication, and hospitalization.
- Differences between public and private providers.
- Socioeconomic characteristics.
- Family and migration background.
- Research design
The researchers will combine Statistics Sweden’s LISA database with national health registers covering employment, income, occupation, demographics, mental health diagnoses, prescribed medication, and hospitalizations.
Longitudinal population data covering up to 30 years of workforce histories will make it possible to study both return to work and its long-term sustainability.
Expected contribution
The project aims to provide evidence that can support:
- Workforce planning in Region Stockholm.
- Mental health support in care occupations.
- Understanding of sustainable return-to-work patterns.
- Research on gender inequality, health, and the labor market.
Research team
- Project leader: Iman Dadgar.
- Collaborators: Roujman Shahbazian and Rebecka Persson.
Status
Ongoing. Ethical review is planned, register data preparation is underway, and the project is being developed in collaboration with Region Stockholm.