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Introduction: The aim of the study was to examine sickness absence and risk factors for sickness absence in a population of greenhouse gardeners in the county of Århus. Methods: The study was cross sectional and based on data from questionnaires sent to all employees and greenhouse gardens in the county. Results: Greenhouse gardeners had an average of four days of sickness absence a year. Self-rated health was poorer than average of the Danish population in general. Female gender, age below 40 years, troublesome relationships to family and friends, "poor" physical working environment and job insecurity were all predictors for increased risk of sickness absence lasting more than two weeks a year. Discussions: Sickness absence was low compared to the average of the Danish labour market. Considering poorer self-rated health and frequent occurrence of some of the above mentioned predictors for increased risk of sickness absence - female gender, age below 40 years and for women, high exposure to "poor" physical working environment - an average sickness absence of only four days was a puzzle. The data from the study were not sufficient to explain this paradox. It might be due to compensating factors at work or at a personal level. It might be due to information bias, as sickness absence could be underestimated, but agreement between reported sickness absence from employees and greenhouse gardens diminished that probability. It might have been a consequence of selection bias, the "healthy workers" effect. Employees with considerable sickness absence might have been dismissed for long-term absence or might have quit the job because they were not able to cope with it.

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