Occupational injuries entail longer sick leave than non-occupational ones: evidence from a developing country and possible implications

	Total injuries N (%)	Occupational injuries N (%)	Non-occupational injuries N (%)	p
Gender
Male	1261 (60.8)	574 (45.5)	687 (54.5)	0.47
Female	814 (39.2)	384 (47.2)	430 (52.8)
Age (years)
≤30	318 (16.2)	132 (41.5)	186 (58.5)	0.13
31–40	373 (19.0)	167 (44.8)	206 (55.2)
41–50	523 (26.6)	250 (47.8)	273 (52.2)
≥51	750 (38.2)	366 (48.8)	384 (51.2)
Category of injury
Occupational injury	958 (46.2)	/	/
Non-occupational injury	1117 (53.8)	/	/
ICD-10 diagnosis
S00–S19: Head and neck injuries	261 (12.6)	161 (61.7)	100 (38.3)	<0.001
S20–S39: Thorax, abdomen, lower back, pelvis injuries	241 (11.6)	123 (51.0)	118 (49.06)
S40–S69: Upper extremity injuries	666 (32.1)	322 (48.3)	344 (51.7)
S70–S99: Lower extremity injuries	854 (41.2)	320 (37.5)	534 (62.5)
T00–T99: Multiple injuries, poisoning and other consequences of external causes	32 (1.5)	18 (56.3)	14 (43.8)
V01–Y98: External causes of morbidity and mortality	21 (1.0)	14 (66.7)	7 (33.3)

Table 2

Duration of sick leave due to injury in the study population, stratified by gender, age group, category of injury (occupational or non-occupational), and diagnosis

		N	Mean	SD	Min	Max	p
Total		2075	85.69	61.22	31	365
Category of injury
Occupational injury		958	91.16	71.54	31	365	<0.001
Non-occupational injury		1117	78.43	49.62	31	365
Category of injury	Gender
Occupational injury	Male	574	98.83	75.83	31	365	0.03
	Female	384	87.19	64.06	31	365
Non-occupational injury	Male	687	79.44	50.85	31	365	0.17
	Female	430	76.81	47.62	31	365
Gender	Category of injury
Male	Occupational injury	574	98.83	75.83	31	365	<0.001
	Non-occupational injury	687	79.44	50.85	31	365
Female	Occupational injury	384	87.19	64.01	31	365	<0.001
	Non-occupational injury	430	76.81	47.62	31	365
Age (years)
≤30		318	76.23	51.35	31	365	<0.001
31–40		373	78.28	57.38	31	365
41–50		523	86.29	57.37	31	365
≥51		750	87.65	68.19	31	365
Category of injury	Age (years)
Occupational injury	≤30	132	85.44	66.22	31	365	0.01
	31–40	167	85.38	66.04	31	365
	41–50	250	93.96	68.42	31	365
	≥51	366	92.97	76.49	31	365
Non-occupational injury	≤30	186	69.70	36.18	31	311	0.01
	31–40	206	72.53	48.68	31	365
	41–50	273	79.27	43.89	31	301
	≥51	384	84.64	58.21	31	365
Age (years)	Category of injury
≤30	Occupational injury	43	85.44	66.22	31	365	<0.001
	Non-occupational injury	68	69.70	36.18	31	311
31–40	Occupational injury	132	85.38	66.04	31	365	<0.001
	Non-occupational injury	186	72.53	48.68	31	365
41–50	Occupational injury	167	93.96	68.42	3	365	<0.001
	Non-occupational injury	206	79.27	43.89	31	301
≥51	Occupational injury	250	100.83	76.49	31	365	<0.001
	Non-occupational injury	273	84.64	58.21	31	365
ICD-10 diagnosis
S00–S19: Head and neck injuries		261	65.40	37.53	31	301	<0.001
S20–S39: Thorax, abdomen, lower back, pelvis injuries		241	93.93	74.07	31	365
S40–S69: Upper extremity injuries		666	81.80	52.34	31	365
S70–S99: Lower extremity injuries		854	90.65	63.61	31	365
T00–T99: Multiple injuries, poisoning and other consequences of external causes		32	130.90	112.13	31	365
V01–Y98: External causes of morbidity and mortality		21	85.67	96.23	32	365
ICD-10 diagnosis	Category of injury
S00–S19	Occupational injury	161	63.69	31.76	31	202	0.99
	Non-occupational injury	100	68.16	45.36	31	301
S20–S39	Occupational injury	123	103.76	82.54	31	365	0.05
	Non-occupational injury	118	83.69	62.81	31	365
S40–S69	Occupational injury	322	88.07	62.02	31	365	0.06
	Non-occupational injury	344	75.94	40.51	31	365
S70–S99	Occupational injury	320	108.39	79.14	31	365	<0.001
	Non-occupational injury	534	80.01	49.22	31	365
T00–T99	Occupational injury	18	148.11	111.99	49	365	0.24
	Non-occupational injury	14	124.79	115.22	31	365
V01–Y98	Occupational injury	14	106.07	113.46	32	365	0.21
	Non-occupational injury	7	44.86	7.76	35	59

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2026-77-4165 | Journal eISSN: 1848-6312 (formerly 0004-1254) | Journal ISSN: 0004-1254

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Language: English, Croatian

Page range: 213 - 219

Submitted on: May 1, 2026

Accepted on: Jul 1, 2026

Published on: Sep 25, 2026

Published by: Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

absenteeism,

non-work-related sick leave,

temporary work incapacity,

work-related sick leave

Related subjects:

Medicine,

Basic medical science,

Basic medical science, other

© 2026 Nada Marić, Jovanka Koprena, Petar Bulat, published by Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 77 (2026): Issue 3 (September 2026)