People who take extended sick leave may be more likely to die prematurely, according to a new study published online last week in the British Medical Journal.

Researchers from the University College London analyzed the work absence records for nearly 6,500 British civil servants aged 35 to 55 between 1985 and 1988 in order to determine if knowing the reason for sick leave could improve prediction of mortality. They found that people who had at least one medically-certified work absence in three years had a 66% increased risk of premature death compared to those who did not have this type of absence. In particular, they found that the risk was highest among workers who required extended sick leave for surgery, circulatory, or psychiatric problems. Interestingly, work absences due to psychiatric diagnoses were associated with a greater than two-fold increase in cancer-related deaths.

As a result of these findings, the researchers suggest that routinely collecting information on the medical reasons behind sick leave could help health care professionals to identify people who are at risk of potentially fatal disease so that preventive measures could be taken.