title: Impairment in work productivity and health-related quality of life in patients with IBS.
abstract: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a long-term and episodic medical disorder shown to have an impact on work productivity and health-related quality of life (QOL). The objective of this study was to assess the impact of IBS on work productivity and on health-related QOL in an employed population in the United States and to quantify the cost of these factors to the employer. A 2-phase survey was sent to the workforce of a large US bank to assess the presence of IBS among employees and to measure their work productivity (absenteeism [time lost from work] and presenteeism [reduced productivity at work]) and health-related QOL. Forty-one percent of the 1776 employees responding to both phases of the survey met the Rome II criteria for IBS. Employees with IBS reported a 15% greater loss in work productivity because of gastrointestinal symptoms than employees without IBS and had significantly lower Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) scores than those without IBS. IBS was associated with a 21% reduction in work productivity, equivalent to working less than 4 days in a 5-day workweek. Employees with IBS also had significantly lower scores on all domains of the SF-36, indicating poorer functional outcomes. Reduced work productivity and diminished QOL of these magnitudes may have substantial financial impact on employers.
authors.affiliation: Cerner Health Insights, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Bonnie B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barghout
authors.forename: Kristijan H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kahler
authors.forename: Feride
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frech
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Groves
authors.forename: Joshua J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ofman
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004526:Efficiency; D017049:Employer Health Costs; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008329:Managed Care Programs; D016272:Occupational Health; D011788:Quality of Life; D014481:United States