Development and distribution of sickness absences caused by mental health problems in Upper Austria

The aim of this research project is to investigate the distribution and development of mental-health induced sickness absences in Upper Austria. In a first step, the aggregate statistic is examined with the help of micro-data. In order to disentangle compositional effects, the aggregate sickness ratio is decomposed by employee groups (by gender and age) as well as with respect to the frequency and duration of sickness episodes and to changes over time. A second analytical step focuses those persons who recorded mental-health induced sickness absences. The purpose of this analysis is to clarify the extent to which these absences have a recurring, chronic character or tend to occur as isolated episodes in the occupational biographies.