Objectives: A literature review for the years 1984-2004 was performed to identify the determinants of the sick leave frequency and duration over that period and to establish the continuity in the character of those determinants.
Materials and methods: The review referred to national and international studies on the determinants of the frequency and duration of sick leave.
Results: The review presented a highly consistent picture of the factors determining sick leave frequency and duration.
Conclusion: Over the study period, the frequency and duration of sick leave were determined by a broad range of factors, a substantial number of which had a similar influence on both the study parameters.