I hvilken grad er psykososialt trygghetsklima relatert til sammenhengen mellom helseproblemer og sykefravær, og hvilken relasjon har kjønn, alder og lederansvar til denne sammenhengen?

This study addresses the interaction between psychosocial safety climate (PSC), health problems and short-term and long-term sickness absence. Mental- and physical health problems and sickness absence are thematized, as well as physical, organizational and psychosocial risk factors. Potential differences in gender, age and leadership responsibility regarding PSC, health problems and sickness absence is investigated. PSC and its association with the organization, individual health and sickness absence is investigated. Based on the theoretical framework, PSC is important for psychosocial work environment and health in the workplace. Two-way interaction analysis for the relationships between PSC, health problems and sickness absence were carried out, and subsequently three-way interaction analysis with gender, age and leadership responsibility as moderators. A convenience sample of 4269 respondents from Belgian organizations formed the basis for examining the hypotheses based on questionnaire data. The findings support the contribution of health problems to sickness absence, but an association with PSC was not found. For short-term sickness absence, direct associations with gender and leadership responsibility was found, but no moderating effect of gender, age or leadership responsibility. For long-term sickness absence, direct-associations with age and leadership responsibility was found. Moderating effect was only found for leadership responsibility on the relationship between PSC, health problems and long-term sickness absence, but the results were somewhat unclear. This study concludes that health problems is significantly associated with short-term sickness absence and long-term sickness absence. PSC does not moderate health problems and sickness absence, even when age, gender and management responsibility are added to the model