Absenteeism among employees with irritable bowel syndrome.
Patterns of illness or disability-related work absence six months before and six months after a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were assessed from medical claims and absenteeism databases and were compared with a sample of patients with no gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. The records of 630 patients with IBS were compared with those of 1,260 persons without GI conditions. Mean monthly IBS-related absences increased by 69% (from 0.96 to 1.62 days) from the beginning of the six-month period before diagnosis to the month of diagnosis. With multivariate regression analysis, the incremental effect of an IBS diagnosis on six-month absenteeism was estimated to be 3.27 absences greater for persons with IBS.
Zacker
Christopher
C
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, New Jersey, USA. christopher.zacker@pharma.novartis.com
Chawla
Anita J
AJ
Wang
Shaohung
S
Albers
Leigh Ann
LA
D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States