Lost time, absence costs, and reduced productivity output for employees with bipolar disorder.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to evaluate the incremental health-related lost work time and at-work productivity loss for employees with bipolar disorder (BPD).


METHODS
Health-related absence and real productivity output of employees with BPD were compared with that of non-BPD and other employee cohorts from a large employer database using multivariate regression to control for cohort differences.


RESULTS
After adjusting for confounding factors, employees with BPD had significantly higher absence costs (1,219 dollars) and 11.5 additional lost days (P<0.05) per year than those without BPD. Adjusted annual productivity output was 20% lower for the BPD group (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Employees with BPD are less likely to be present for work. When present, their productivity level is similar to that of other employees, but over the course of a year, their absence rates result in significant productivity losses.
Kleinman
Nathan L
NL
HCMS Group, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001, USA. nathan_kleinman@hcmsgroup.com
Brook
Richard A
RA
Rajagopalan
Krithika
K
Gardner
Harold H
HH
Brizee
Truman J
TJ
Smeeding
James E
JE
D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D019992:Databases as Topic; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics; D014959:Wyoming