The line graph illustrates the percentage of workers in five different European countries who had a day or more of illness absence from 1991 to 2001.
Overall, the Netherlands consistently had the highest percentage of workers with illness absences, while Germany had the lowest. Over the period, the rates of illness absences generally increased in the Netherlands, France, and Germany, whereas Sweden and the UK experienced fluctuations or slight decreases.
In detail, the Netherlands started at around 5% in 1991, saw a peak at 6% in 1993, and then declined to 4% by 1996. Afterward, there was a steady rise, reaching approximately 6.5% by 2001. Sweden showed a decreasing trend, starting at 5% in 1991 and dropping to around 3% by the mid-1990s. This percentage remained relatively stable with minor fluctuations until 2001.
France had a gradual increase in the percentage of workers with illness absences, starting from about 3% in 1991 and reaching almost 4% by 2001. The UK showed a slightly increasing trend, starting from just below 3% and finishing the period close to 3.5%. Germany had the lowest percentages throughout the decade, with figures consistently below 2%, except for a slight rise to 2% in the final years.