Obstetricians/Gynecologists’ Problems in Sickness Certification Consultations: Two Nationwide Surveys
Table 3
Number and proportions (%) of O/Gs reporting severity of problems, that is, how problematic they found specific situations in sickness certification consultations in 2008 () and in 2012 (), respectively, and p values for differences between 2008 and 2012.
How problematic do you generally find it to…
Year
Very
Fairly
Somewhat
Not at all
Not applicable
Missing information
Between-group comparison
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
p valu
…handle sickness certification of patients?
2008
36 (4.9)
198 (26.8)
369 (49.9)
121 (16.4)
15 (2.0)
0.648
2012
30 (4.5)
182 (27.5)
342 (51.7)
97 (14.7)
11 (1.7)
…assess whether a patient’s functional capacity is reduced?
2008
70 (9.5)
242 (32.7)
303 (41.0)
101 (13.7)
23 (3.1)
0.016
2012
50 (7.6)
187 (28.2)
309 (46.7)
101 (15.3)
15 (2.3)
…assess whether the reduced functional capacity is due to disease/injury?
2008
47 (6.4)
189 (25.6)
344 (46.5)
140 (18.9)
19 (2.6)
0.018
2012
42 (6.3)
140 (21.1)
304 (45.9)
159 (24.0)
17 (2.6)
…assess the degree to which the reduced functional capacity limits a patient’s work capacity?
2008
122 (16.5)
261 (35.3)
288 (39.0)
55 (7.4)
13 (1.8)
0.241
2012
85 (12.8)
257 (38.8)
238 (36.0)
69 (10.4)
13 (2.0)
…consider, together with the patient, the advantages and disadvantages of being on sick leave?
2008
38 (5.1)
159 (21.5)
337 (45.6)
189 (25.6)
16 (2.2)
0.137
2012
23 (3.5)
143 (21.6)
290 (43.8)
194 (29.3)
12 (1.8)
…make a plan of action regarding measures to be taken during the sick leave?
2008
47 (6.4)
145 (19.6)
276 (37.3)
252 (34.1)
19 (2.6)
0.520
2012
46 (6.9)
121 (18.3)
232 (35.0)
239 (36.1)
24 (3.6)
… provide a long-term prognosis about the future work capacity of patients on sick leave?
2008
80 (10.8)
132 (17.9)
266 (36.0)
240 (32.5)
21 (2.8)
0.848
2012
70 (10.6)
130 (19.6)
209 (31.6)
227 (34.3)
26 (3.9)
…manage the two roles as the patient’s treating physician and as a medical expert for the SIA and other authorities?
2008
98 (13.3)
164 (22.2)
277 (37.5)
183 (24.8)
17 (2.3)
0.660
2012
65 (9.8)
170 (25.7)
244 (36.9)
165 (24.9)
18 (2.7)
… discuss possible lifestyle and life situation changes with a patient who is being issued a sickness certificate?
2008
49 (6.6)
191 (25.8)
295 (39.9)
184 (24.9)
20 (2.7)
0.009
2012
37 (5.6)
143 (21.6)
254 (38.4)
201 (30.4)
27 (4.1)
…discuss and know how to deal with other psychosocial problems (e.g., economic difficulties, physical or substance abuse) when handling a patient on sick leave?
2004
85 (11.5)
204 (27.6)
271 (36.7)
158 (21.4)
21 (2.8)
0.080
2008
65 (9.8)
170 (25.7)
234 (35.3)
166 (25.1)
27 (4.1)
…know what aspects of the sickness certification process to document in the patient’s medical file?
2008
28 (3.8)
99 (13.4)
296 (40.1)
299 (40.5)
17 (2.3)
0.441
2012
25 (3.8)
108 (16.3)
248 (37.5)
262 (39.6)
19 (2.9)
…decide whether to certify a prolongation of a sick-leave period initially certified by another physician?
2008
98 (13.3)
252 (34.1)
269 (36.4)
106 (14.3)
14 (1.9)
0.014
2012
63 (9.5)
198 (29.9)
290 (43.8)
93 (14.0)
18 (2.7)
…assess the optimum duration and degree of sickness absence?
2008
90 (12.2)
256 (34.6)
303 (41.0)
75 (10.1)
15 (2.0)
<0.001
2012
53 (8.0)
200 (30.2)
302 (45.6)
289 (13.4)
18 (2.7)
…handle situations in which you and a patient have different opinions about the need for sick leave?
2008
129 (17.5)
250 (33.8)
263 (35.6)
84 (11.4)
13 (1.8)
0.050
2012
87 (13.1)
218 (32.9)
264 (39.9)
76 (11.5)
17 (2.6)
…write sickness certificates for the SIA?
2008
49 (6.6)
155 (21.0)
309 (41.8)
205 (27.7)
21 (2.8)
0.376
2012
44 (6.6)
128 (19.3)
257 (38.8)
197 (29.8)
36 (5.4)
…write other certificates for the SIA? (e.g. for application concerning disability pension)
2008
82 (11.1)
229 (31.0)
237 (32.1)
151 (20.4)
—
40 (5.4)
—
2012
29 (4.4)
47 (7.1)
62 (9.4)
37 (5.6)
463 (69.9
24 (3.6)
…write sickness certificates in accordance with the national sickness certification guidelines?
2008
18 (2.4)
74 (10.0)
171 (23.1)
63 (8.5)
395 (53.5
18 (2.4)
—
2012
46 (6.9)
148 (22.4)
250 (37.8)
152 (23.0)
—
66 (10.0)
…handle situations in which you and other members of the healthcare team have different opinions about sickness certifying a patient?
2008
26 (3.5)
85 (11.5)
155 (21.0)
114 (15.4)
347 (47.0
12 (1.6)
0.002
2012
16 (2.4)
43 (6.5)
124 (18.7)
109 (16.5)
346 (52.3
24 (3.6)
ann–Whitney U test. additional response option “not applicable” was used for three questions. he additional response option was phrased as “have not used them.”
