Objective: To compare the duration average of the ten most frequent causes of unfitness for work (ILT) observed in a services company's staff, with the duration standards registered in the guide published by the Insalud. Besides, some of the factors that could influence these ten diseases duration will be analyzed.
Design: An observational, retrospective, population-based study.
Setting: Sanitary district in Madrid area.
Population: Hospital Universitario de la Princesa's staff. From 1-1-93 to 31-12-94, a total of 1835 ILTs have been registered among the 2147 workers.
Measures and results: Among the ten most frequent causes of ILT analysed, influenza, acute gastroenteritis, lumbalgia, anide sprain, lumbociatica, contusions, tonsillitis and bronchitis have a duration median included within the Insalud's references. Acute respiratory infection duration is situated out of the intervals. Depressive syndrome does not appear in the guide. It has been proved that all the previous causes have a greater incidence on women except for contusions, tonsillitis and bronchitis. Ankle sprain has a longer duration in workers over fifty years old.
Conclusions: We consider that Insalud's standards guide should be promoted and improved in order to be used as a reference handbook by general practitioners.