title: Objective measurement of work absence and on-the-job productivity: a case-control study of US employees with and without gastroesophageal reflux disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish an association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and increased work absence, as well as reduced productivity while at work, by using objective productivity measurements.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case-control analysis of a database containing US employees' administrative health care and payroll data for employees (N = 11,653 with GERD; N = 255,616 without GERD) who were enrolled for at least one year in an employer-sponsored health insurance plan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Employees with GERD had 41% more sick leave days (P < 0.0001), 59% more short-term disability days (P < 0.0001), 39% more long-term disability days (P = 0.1910), 48% more workers' compensation days (P < 0.0001), 4.4% lower objective productivity per hour worked (P = 0.0481), and 6.0% lower annual objective productivity (P = 0.0391) than the employees without GERD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GERD is associated with a significant impact on employees' work absence and productivity while at work as measured using objective data.
authors.affiliation: AstraZeneca R&D Mölndal, Mölndal, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wahlqvist
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Brook
authors.forename: Sara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Mari-Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wallander
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Jim E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Smeeding
authors.forename: Nathan L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Kleinman
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004526:Efficiency; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States