This book examines long term sickness absence by analyzing categories of illness, disease, and sickness as relations between individuals and their psycho-social environments. A central assumption in the book is that sickness absence is a complex and social concept. In order to understand its many dimensions, it is necessary to combine empirical insight with a critical understanding of how individuals experience their sick roles as social roles. The contributions are written by researchers from Norway and Sweden who have comprehensive knowledge of the social aspects of health and sickness. Philosophical analyses and research from Scandinavian countries are combined to give an empirical and theoretical up-to-date understanding of the problems and challenges related to sickness absence. The book offers new and original perspectives on the current debate being witnessed in many countries, and it is relevant to those interested in understanding how sickness absence is essentially a social phenomenon.