telegraph : It found the average adult takes three and a half days off work a year because of illness - or 141 during their working life - with men taking 140 and women, 189.

Does the pattern of women taking more sick days than men generalize beyond their sample?

A Daily Telegraph article is headlined "Women take more sick days than men".

It cites a recent (2011) unnamed report:

Yesterday Lawrence Christensen, of leading mutual healthcare organisation Benenden Healthcare Society, which commissioned the report, said: "The age-old debate between the sexes continues as our research shows a difference between them when it comes to taking sick leave.

[...]

The representative study of 1,000 men and 1,000 women quizzed them on their attitudes and behaviours towards feeling ill, having to take time off work and drew gender comparisons.

[...]

It found the average adult takes three and a half days off work a year because of illness - or 141 during their working life - with men taking 140 and women, 189.

Does the pattern of women taking more sick days than men generalize beyond their sample?