Chronic pain and reduced work effectiveness: The hidden cost to Australian employers

European Journal of Pain - Tập 10 - Trang 161-166 - 2006
Marina T. van Leeuwen1, Fiona M. Blyth1, Lyn M. March2, Michael K. Nicholas1, Michael J. Cousins1
1Pain Management and Research Institute, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
2Department of Rheumatology, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia

Tóm tắt

AbstractCost estimates of the impact of chronic pain on work have largely focussed on absenteeism, excluding the hidden contribution of reduced work effectiveness to lost productivity. This paper aims to estimate the cost of lost productivity due to chronic pain in Australia, not only in terms of absenteeism but also reduced work effectiveness. Data on chronic pain in Australia and its impact on work were obtained from the 1997 New South Wales Health Survey (n = 17,543) and the Northern Sydney Area Pain Study (n = 2,092), both of which were population‐based and used random‐digit dialling sampling methods. This was combined with relevant Australian population and labour force data obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. From this we estimated annual lost productivity costs arising from both chronic pain‐related days absent and ‘reduced‐effectiveness workdays'. There were estimated to be 9.9 million workdays absent due to chronic pain annually in Australia, equating to a cost of AUD 1.4 billion per annum. Under the assumption that reduced‐effectiveness workdays affect productivity costs in the same way as lost work days, the total number of lost workday equivalents was 36.5 million, with the total annual cost of lost productivity due to chronic pain estimated as AUD 5.1 billion per annum. In conclusion, while the impact of reduced work effectiveness on days worked with pain on productivity is uncertain, it has the potential to account for the majority of lost productivity costs associated with chronic pain. Interventions which target working despite pain have the potential to significantly reduce lost productivity costs due to chronic pain.

Tài liệu tham khảo

Australian Bureau of Statistics.1996Census of Population and Housing Basic Community Profiles;1997. Available from:http:www.abs.gov.auAusstatsabs40.nsfd148686192eae2cdca2568320082d4b4OpenView. Accessibility verified December 03 2003. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1998, Year Book Australia 1998 Australian Bureau of Statistics.Employee Earnings and Hours May 1998. Catalogue No. 6306.0; 1999. Electronic Report. Available from:http:www.abs.gov.auausstatsabs@.nsfLookupFFD2F94063084B11CA256A1C0002A773. Accessibility verified December 03 2003. 10.1136/bmj.317.7167.1195 10.1097/00043764-200101000-00005 10.1016/S0304-3959(00)00355-9 10.1016/S0304-3959(02)00380-9 10.1136/bmj.319.7210.635 10.1097/00043764-200103000-00017 10.1001/archinte.159.8.813 International Association for the Study of Pain Subcommittee on Taxonomy, 1986, Classification of chronic pain. Descriptions of chronic pain syndromes and definitions of pain terms, Pain, S1 10.1097/00043764-200103000-00009 10.1136/oem.59.12.807 10.1016/S0304-3959(99)00187-6 NSW Health Department 1999.Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch. NSW Health Survey 1997 Electronic Report. Available at:http:10.192.128.9publichealthnswhshsindex.htm. Accessibility verified December 03 2003. 10.1097/00005650-199810000-00006 Rosen M., 1994, Report of a Clinical Standards Advisory Group Committee on Back pain for UK Health Ministers 10.1016/S0022-4375(01)00042-1 10.1097/00043764-199704000-00009 10.1046/j.1468-2982.1998.1801044.x 10.1016/S0304-3959(98)00181-X 10.1001/jama.290.18.2443 10.1001/jama.289.23.3135 Korff M., 1994, Assessing headache severity. New directions, Neurology, 44, S40 10.1212/WNL.50.6.1741
Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

European Journal of Pain

Tập 10

161-166

Thông tin tác giả