14 DAY TRIAL // English researchers have discovered that employees who take prolonged leaves of absence for more than one time in three years or so are more prone to dying prematurely on account of diseases than others. They analyzed more than 6,400 work records from 1985 to 1988, and then associated them with the subjects' deaths until 2004. The results pointed out that about 66 percent of those who took more than one medical absence leave in three years died prematurely, mostly of heart disease or psychiatric afflictions. Coincidentally, the same disorders were written on their old absence leaves.
Doctors say that medical leaves could be considered warning signals for patients who exhibit signs of various potentially deadly illnesses early in their lives. Statistically speaking, those who miss work on account of circulatory diseases are four times more likely to die of it than those who do not take leaves. Also, psychiatric disorders could be an early sign of cancer, as the team of scientists exposed a 2.5 fold increase in cancer-related deaths in patients who had leaves on account of brain-related issues.
The study now focuses on trying to elaborate methods of determining which employees are at risk from future diseases, and to start curing them before an illness sets in. Corporation managers have already expressed their interest in this system, which could help them avoid situations where employees die and create a vacuum inside the company. Also, future predictions aim at identifying those most exposed to stress and high-pressure tasks, as they are considered to be most vulnerable to heart or circulatory system related deaths.
In addition, knowing who is most likely to become ill beforehand gives medics an invaluable diagnosis tool, as well as a better understanding of the patient's medical background. This is believed to be extremely useful in preemptive treatments, meant to delay or completely stop the advancement of various diseases.