TY - JOUR
T1 - Multimorbidity is common among young workers and related to increased work absenteeism and presenteeism
T2 - results from the population-based Raine Study cohort
AU - Troelstra, Sigrid A.
AU - Straker, Leon
AU - Harris, Mark
AU - Brown, Sarah
AU - Allard J, Allard J.
AU - Coenen, Pieter
N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the Raine Study participants and their families for their ongoing participation in the study and the Raine Study staff for their dedicated commitment to coordination and data collection. The core management of the Raine Study is funded by the University of Western Australia, Curtin University, Telethon Kids Institute, Women and Infants Research Foundation, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, The University of Notre Dame Australia and the Raine Medical Research Foundation. The Raine Study Gen2-22 follow-up and analysis was funded by NHMRC project grants (1027449, 1044840 and 10218550), Safe Work Australia and the Australian Research Council. Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the Raine Study participants and their families for their ongoing par- ticipation in the study and the Raine Study staff for their dedicated commitment to coordination and data collection. The core management of the Raine Study is funded by the University of Western Australia, Cur-tin University, Telethon Kids Institute, Women and Infants Research Foundation, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, The University of Notre Dame Australia and the Raine Medical Research Foundation. The Raine Study Gen2-22 follow-up and analysis was funded by NHMRC project grants (1027449, 1044840 and 10218550), Safe Work Australia and the Australian Research Council. Publisher Copyright: © Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health. Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/3/1
Y1 - 2020/3/1
N2 - Objectives This study aimed to determine the extent of both multimorbidity and work productivity loss among young adults with paid work and to analyze their association. Methods We included 604 participants from a follow-up of the Raine Study that comprised a cohort who were 22 years at the time (Gen2-22). Information on 36 health conditions, grouped into 10 condition categories, was collected through questionnaires and physical assessments (for body mass index only). Quarterly questionnaires about work productivity, including total absenteeism, sickness absenteeism, and total presenteeism, were distributed electronically over the subsequent 12 months. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence of health conditions, condition categories, multimorbidity, and work productivity. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression analyses were used to assess the association of multimorbidity with productivity loss. Results Multimorbidity prevalence was substantially higher in females (63%) compared to males (41%). Productivity loss increased as the number of condition categories increased. For example, total absenteeism was associated with an increase in the number of health condition categories in males [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.36] and females (IRR 1.13, 95% CI 1.04-1.24). Similar results were found for sickness absenteeism and presenteeism. The highest burden of productivity loss was found for musculoskeletal disorders (42 444 hours/1000 workers/year), sleep problems (33 581 hours/1000 workers/year), mental and neurological conditions (15 650 hours/1000 workers/year), and 'other' medical conditions (22 519 hours/1000 workers/year). Conclusions Multimorbidity appears to be highly prevalent among young adults with paid work and is strongly related to work productivity loss. Therefore, young workers should be targeted in interventions aiming to reduce multimorbidity and its impact on work productivity.
AB - Objectives This study aimed to determine the extent of both multimorbidity and work productivity loss among young adults with paid work and to analyze their association. Methods We included 604 participants from a follow-up of the Raine Study that comprised a cohort who were 22 years at the time (Gen2-22). Information on 36 health conditions, grouped into 10 condition categories, was collected through questionnaires and physical assessments (for body mass index only). Quarterly questionnaires about work productivity, including total absenteeism, sickness absenteeism, and total presenteeism, were distributed electronically over the subsequent 12 months. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence of health conditions, condition categories, multimorbidity, and work productivity. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression analyses were used to assess the association of multimorbidity with productivity loss. Results Multimorbidity prevalence was substantially higher in females (63%) compared to males (41%). Productivity loss increased as the number of condition categories increased. For example, total absenteeism was associated with an increase in the number of health condition categories in males [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.36] and females (IRR 1.13, 95% CI 1.04-1.24). Similar results were found for sickness absenteeism and presenteeism. The highest burden of productivity loss was found for musculoskeletal disorders (42 444 hours/1000 workers/year), sleep problems (33 581 hours/1000 workers/year), mental and neurological conditions (15 650 hours/1000 workers/year), and 'other' medical conditions (22 519 hours/1000 workers/year). Conclusions Multimorbidity appears to be highly prevalent among young adults with paid work and is strongly related to work productivity loss. Therefore, young workers should be targeted in interventions aiming to reduce multimorbidity and its impact on work productivity.
KW - Sickness absence
KW - Work productivity
KW - Young adult
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85081076710&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3858
DO - https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3858
M3 - Article
C2 - 31655849
SN - 0355-3140
VL - 46
SP - 218
EP - 227
JO - Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health
JF - Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health
IS - 2
ER -