Health and Safety Executive

Table TYPESEX1 - 2004/05

Estimated prevalence and rates (%) of self-reported illness caused or made worse by work, by type of illness and gender, for people ever employed, 2004/05, 2003/04 and 2001/02

Gender Type of complaint Sample cases Estimated prevalence (thousands) Rate per 100 ever employed
central 95% C.I. central 95% C.I.
lower upper lower upper
Males Bone, joint or muscle problem 1140 584 549 618 2.8 2.6 3.0
  mainly affects the upper limbs or neck 387 197 177 216 0.94 0.85 1.0
  mainly affects the lower limbs 249 123 107 138 0.59 0.51 0.66
  mainly affects the back 504 264 241 288 1.3 1.2 1.4
Breathing or lung problem 226 108 94 122 0.52 0.45 0.58
Skin problem 31 18 11 24 0.084 0.054 0.11
Hearing problem 129 61 50 71 0.29 0.24 0.34
Stress, depression or anxiety 432 230 208 252 1.1 1.0 1.2
Headache and/or eyestrain 25 13 8 18 0.063 0.037 0.088
Heart disease/attack, other              
circulatory system 88 43 34 53 0.21 0.16 0.25
Infectious disease (virus, bacteria) 18 * * * * * *
Other type of complaint 142 73 61 85 0.35 0.29 0.41
Missing 3 .. .. .. .. .. ..
Total 2234 1141 1094 1188 5.5 5.2 5.7
Females Bone, joint or muscle problem 866 428 400 457 1.9 1.8 2.1
  mainly affects the upper limbs or neck 361 178 160 197 0.81 0.72 0.89
  mainly affects the lower limbs 127 62 51 73 0.28 0.23 0.33
  mainly affects the back 378 188 169 207 0.85 0.76 0.93
Breathing or lung problem 60 30 22 37 0.13 0.099 0.17
Skin problem 22 11 7 16 0.051 0.030 0.073
Hearing problem 28 14 9 19 0.062 0.039 0.086
Stress, depression or anxiety 549 279 256 303 1.3 1.2 1.4
Headache and/or eyestrain 36 18 12 24 0.083 0.055 0.11
Heart disease/attack, other              
circulatory system 25 12 7 17 0.056 0.034 0.078
Infectious disease (virus, bacteria) 34 17 11 23 0.078 0.051 0.11
Other type of complaint 107 54 43 64 0.24 0.20 0.29
Missing 2 .. .. .. .. .. ..
Total 1729 865 824 906 3.9 3.7 4.1
All persons Bone, joint or muscle problem 2006 1012 967 1057 2.4 2.2 2.5
  mainly affects the upper limbs or neck 748 375 347 402 0.87 0.81 0.94
  mainly affects the lower limbs 376 185 166 204 0.43 0.39 0.47
  mainly affects the back 882 452 422 483 1.1 0.98 1.1
Breathing or lung problem 286 137 121 154 0.32 0.28 0.36
Skin problem 53 29 21 37 0.067 0.049 0.085
Hearing problem 157 74 63 86 0.17 0.15 0.20
Stress, depression or anxiety 981 509 477 542 1.2 1.1 1.3
Headache and/or eyestrain 61 31 23 39 0.073 0.054 0.092
Heart disease/attack, other              
circulatory system 113 56 45 66 0.13 0.11 0.15
Infectious disease (virus, bacteria) 52 28 20 36 0.065 0.047 0.084
Other type of complaint 249 126 110 142 0.29 0.26 0.33
Missing 5 .. .. .. .. .. ..
Total 3963 2006 1942 2070 4.7 4.5 4.8

Notes:

  • Definitions and data reliability
  • .. Not applicable
  • * Sample numbers too small to provide reliable estimates
  • Figures in italics are estimates based on fewer than 30 sample cases
  • See section 2.7 and Appendix 3.2 in the 'Self-reported work-related illness in 2004/05' (SWI04/05) report for more details on prevalence estimates and rates.
  • The estimates in this table take account of revisions made to the Great Britain population estimates following the 2001 Census.

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Updated 12.05.08