Stress-Related Sick Leave: An Individual Project : A hermeneutic study investigating the social support given to, and responsibility demanded by the individual

Stress is the most common reason for sick leave in Sweden today. The physical demands are less in today’s work life, but the psychological demands have increased, resulting in increased stress related ill-health. The aim with the current study was to gain an understanding in how individuals that has been or are on stress-related sick leave experience the social support received at the work place and where they experienced that the primary responsibility for the sick leave was. Nine participants from self-help groups for stress was interviewed with a qualitative hermeneutic approach. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed with van Manen’s (1990) “selective or highlighting approach”. The analysis was grounded in four research questions; causes of stress-related sick leave, perceived responsibility for the sick leave, social support, and facilitating factors for returning to work. The result showed that the participants experienced lack of rewards, high demands, low control, lack of social support, insufficient recovery and denial of symptoms of stress. The participants often blamed themselves and took on the primary responsibility. The self-help groups acted as substitute for the lacking social support as well as increased the self-awareness and motivation among the participants