INTRODUCTION: Costs associated with chronic psoriasis impart a significant economic burden.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine the direct and indirect cost of psoriasis patients in a tertiary government hospital in Davao City.

METHODS: Plaque-type psoriasis patients who were actively seeking care at the Southern Philippines Medical Center Department of Dermatology for at least 6 months prior to the study period were included. The participants reported on socioeconomic status, productivity loss and monetary funding through questionnaires. Work impairment was evaluated using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire and was used to compute the indirect cost. A 6-month retrospective review of the health information system and medical charts generated the healthcare resource utilization data as well as the medical data used to compute the direct cost.

RESULTS: Among the 43 participants enrolled, 53% had a monthly household income of less than PHP8,000 (USD157) and 27% were unemployed. There was an overall work impairment of 65.4%, and 55% had experienced a change in employment status due to psoriasis. The mean 6-month direct cost of psoriasis was PHP22,672.28 ($445). The mean 6-month indirect cost was PHP 26,071.20 ($511) for employment status change and PHP 75,804.30 ($1,486) for work impairment. Government agencies provided financial aid for treatment but majority of the costs came from the participants' own pockets.

CONCLUSION: The economic burden of psoriasis increased substantially due to the indirect cost, which in turn increased remarkably due to work impairment and employment status change.

BACKGROUND: Going to work despite feeling sick also known as sickness presenteeism is one of the emerging global occupational health challenges. Sickness presenteeism negatively affects both health of work forces and productivity of organizations in general. However, there is insufficient research exploring this situation in majority of the Sub-Saharan African countries, including Ethiopia. Thus this study intended to investigate the prevalence and determinant factors of sickness presenteeism among health care workers, Western Ethiopia. METHODS: This study used an institution based cross-sectional quantitative study design. The study period was from February to March, 2017. We employed simple random sampling method to select 360 study samples. Data collection was performed by pre-tested structured and self- administered questionnaire. We used SPSS version 20 to carry out binary logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals was calculated and significance of associations was determined at p-value < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 344 respondents fully completed the survey questionnaire. Mean age with standard deviation was 30.28 ± 6.181. Prevalence of sickness Presenteeism was 52.6% [95%CI: (47.4, 57.8)] in the past 12 months. Educational status [AOR:2.1, 95%CI: (1.17,3.90)], financial problem [AOR:1.9,95%CI:(1.07,3.46)], sickness absenteeism [AOR:2.7,95% CI:(1.50,5.02)], lack of staff replacement [AOR:2.7,95%CI:(1.50,5.02)], absence of occupational health services [AOR:3.0,95%CI:(1.34,6.70)], and pressure from supervisor [AOR:1.8,95% CI:(1.01,3.31)] were significant predictors of the dependent variable. CONCLUSION: Relatively higher proportions of workers indicated sickness presenteeism as compared to other studies. Risk factors like educational status, personal financial problem, sickness absenteeism, lack of staff replacement, absence of occupational health services, and pressure from supervisors considerably increased the likely occurrence of employees’ sick attendance. It is advisable for health care managers to hire adequate health care staffs, to implement basic occupational health services and to design strategies which reduce pressure from supervisors.
Absenteeism ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Data Collection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Educational Status ; Efficiency ; Ethiopia ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Methods ; Occupational Health ; Occupational Health Services ; Odds Ratio ; Presenteeism ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Although work absenteeism is in the focus of occupational health, longitudinal studies on organizational absenteeism records in hospital work are lacking. This longitudinal study tests time pressure and lack of time autonomy to be related to higher sickness absenteeism. METHODS: Data was collected for 180 employees (45% nurses) of a Swiss hospital at baseline and at follow-up after 1 year. Absent times (hours per month) were received from the human resources department of the hospital. One-year follow-up of organizational absenteeism records were regressed on self-reported job satisfaction, time pressure, and time autonomy (i.e., control) at baseline. RESULTS: A multivariate regression showed significant prediction of absenteeism by time pressure at baseline and time autonomy, indicating that a stress process is involved in some sickness absenteeism behavior. Job satisfaction and the interaction of time pressure and time autonomy did not predict sickness absenteeism. CONCLUSION: Results confirmed time pressure and time autonomy as limiting factors in healthcare and a key target in work redesign.
Absenteeism* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Longitudinal Studies* ; Occupational Health

PURPOSE: Across Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, (referred to as Asia) approximately 30–53 million individuals of the 151 million employed suffer from allergic rhinitis (AR) and urticaria. It is estimated that approximately 90% of patients with these allergic conditions are insufficiently treated, impacting the socioeconomic burden in terms of absence from work and decreased productivity. This study aims to estimate the socioeconomic burden of allergies in Asia and the cost savings that their adequate management can provide. Due to the limited availability of regional data, this study focused AR and urticaria in selected countries. METHODS: Published literature, information from statistical bureaus, clinician surveys and extrapolation of selected data from the European Union were used to determine the socioeconomic costs of AR and urticaria. RESULTS: Many patients in Asia suffer from perennial allergies and experience symptoms of AR and urticaria for up to 298 days per year. An estimate of the indirect costs of patients insufficiently treated for AR and urticaria amounts to USD 105.4 billion a year, which equates to USD 1,137–2,195 per patient due to absenteeism and presenteeism. Adherence to guideline-approved treatment can lead to estimated savings of up to USD 104 billion. CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests that within Asia, the socioeconomic impact of AR and urticaria is similar to that seen in the European Union in spite of the lower wages in Asia. This is due to the mainly perennial allergens prevailing in Asia, whereas the sensitization patterns observed in the European Union are dominated by seasonal exposure to pollen. These results underline the need for governmental initiatives to increase public awareness on the prevention and treatment of these and other allergic diseases as well as greater research funding and large-scale studies to reduce their growing socioeconomic burden in coming years.
Absenteeism ; Allergens ; Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Cost Savings ; Efficiency ; European Union ; Financial Management ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Income ; Malaysia ; Philippines ; Pollen ; Presenteeism ; Rhinitis, Allergic* ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits ; Seasons ; Singapore ; Thailand ; Urticaria* ; Vietnam

Chronic disease rates have become more prevalent in the modern American workforce, which has negative implications for workplace productivity and healthcare costs. Offering workplace health interventions is recognized as an effective strategy to reduce chronic disease progression, absenteeism, and healthcare costs as well as improve population health. This review documents intervention and evaluation strategies used for health promotion programs delivered in workplaces. Using predetermined search terms in five online databases, we identified 1,131 published items from 1995 to 2014. Of these items, 27 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria; reporting data from completed United States-based workplace interventions that recruited at-risk employees based on their disease or disease-related risk factors. A content rubric was developed and used to catalogue these 27 published field studies. Selected workplace interventions targeted obesity (n=13), cardiovascular diseases (n=8), and diabetes (n=6). Intervention strategies included instructional education/counseling (n=20), workplace environmental change (n=6), physical activity (n=10), use of technology (n=10), and incentives (n=13). Self-reported data (n=21), anthropometric measurements (n=17), and laboratory tests (n=14) were used most often in studies with outcome evaluation. This is the first literature review to focus on interventions for employees with elevated risk for chronic diseases. The review has the potential to inform future workplace health interventions by presenting strategies related to implementation and evaluation strategies in workplace settings. These strategies can help determine optimal worksite health programs based on the unique characteristics of work settings and the health risk factors of their employee populations.
Absenteeism ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Chronic Disease* ; Efficiency ; Health Care Costs ; Health Promotion ; Motivation ; Motor Activity ; Obesity ; Occupational Health ; Risk Factors ; Workplace*

BACKGROUND: The present study was carried out to assess the relationship between sickness absence and occupational stress, sleep quality, and amplitude and stability of circadian rhythm as well as to determine contributing factors of sickness absence. METHODS: This cross sectional study was conducted on 400 randomly selected employees of an Iranian gas company. The data were collected using Pittsburgh sleep quality index, Karolinska sleepiness scale, circadian type inventory, and Osipow occupational stress questionnaires. RESULTS: The mean age and job tenure of the participants were 33.18 ± 5.64 years and 6.06 ± 4.99 years, respectively. Also, the participants had been absent from work on average 2.16 days a year. According to the results, 209 participants had no absences, 129 participants had short-term absences, and 62 participants had long-term absences. The results showed a significant relationship between short-term absenteeism and amplitude of circadian rhythm [odds ratio (OR) = 6.13], sleep quality (OR = 14.46), sleepiness (OR = 2.08), role boundary (OR = 6.45), and responsibility (OR = 5.23). Long-term absenteeism was also significantly associated with amplitude of circadian rhythm (OR = 2.42), sleep quality (OR = 21.56), sleepiness (OR = 6.44), role overload (OR = 4.84), role boundary (OR = 4.27), and responsibility (OR = 3.72). CONCLUSION: The results revealed that poor sleep quality, amplitude of circadian rhythm, and occupational stress were the contributing factors for sickness absence in the study population.
Absenteeism ; Circadian Rhythm* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Iran*

PURPOSE: Headache is a frequent neurological symptom in school aged individuals and recurrent headache has significant disabling effects among children and adolescents that manifest as school absenteeism, decreased extracurricular activities, and poor academic performance, as shown in previous studies. In Korea, there has not yet been a population-based study of headache-related disability in children and adolescents. We sought to estimate headache-related disability and investigate relevant predictors of disability due to headaches among schoolchildren in South Korea. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional school-based study. We surveyed 5,039 (boys 2,405, girls 2,634) students aged 6-18 years. Among 1,465 students with headache, six hundred sixty-six schoolchildren (225 boys, 441 girls) completed all questionnaires. The questionnaires collected demographic data, in addition to headache specific questions consistent with International Classification of Headache Disorder criteria, 2nd edition. Disability was evaluated using the 6-question Pediatric Migraine Disability Assessment (PedMIDAS). RESULTS: Six hundred sixty six school children and adolescents (225 boys, 441 girls) among 1,465 students with headaches completed all questionnaires. The percentage of headache sufferers with grade I disability was 88.6%. The mean (±standard deviation) PedMIDAS score was 5.11±11.17. There was a trend towards more severe disability in the older age groups, particularly among the 16 to18 year-olds. Students with migraine had the highest PedMIDAS scores (6.69±10.66) whereas students reporting other types of headache had the lowest scores (3.81±7.52). The predictors of headache-related disability were intensity (P=0.028), frequent headache (P=0.003), and longer duration of symptoms prior to presentation (P=0.008). CONCLUSION: A trend towards a more severe disability was observed in the older age group. Schoolchildren with migraine had the most headache-related disability. The predictors for headache-related disability were intensity, frequent headache, and longer duration of symptoms prior to presentation.
Absenteeism ; Adolescent ; Child* ; Classification ; Female ; Headache ; Headache Disorders ; Humans ; Korea ; Migraine Disorders

PURPOSE: Headache is a frequent neurological symptom in school aged individuals and recurrent headache has significant disabling effects among children and adolescents that manifest as school absenteeism, decreased extracurricular activities, and poor academic performance, as shown in previous studies. In Korea, there has not yet been a population-based study of headache-related disability in children and adolescents. We sought to estimate headache-related disability and investigate relevant predictors of disability due to headaches among schoolchildren in South Korea. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional school-based study. We surveyed 5,039 (boys 2,405, girls 2,634) students aged 6-18 years. Among 1,465 students with headache, six hundred sixty-six schoolchildren (225 boys, 441 girls) completed all questionnaires. The questionnaires collected demographic data, in addition to headache specific questions consistent with International Classification of Headache Disorder criteria, 2nd edition. Disability was evaluated using the 6-question Pediatric Migraine Disability Assessment (PedMIDAS). RESULTS: Six hundred sixty six school children and adolescents (225 boys, 441 girls) among 1,465 students with headaches completed all questionnaires. The percentage of headache sufferers with grade I disability was 88.6%. The mean (±standard deviation) PedMIDAS score was 5.11±11.17. There was a trend towards more severe disability in the older age groups, particularly among the 16 to18 year-olds. Students with migraine had the highest PedMIDAS scores (6.69±10.66) whereas students reporting other types of headache had the lowest scores (3.81±7.52). The predictors of headache-related disability were intensity (P=0.028), frequent headache (P=0.003), and longer duration of symptoms prior to presentation (P=0.008). CONCLUSION: A trend towards a more severe disability was observed in the older age group. Schoolchildren with migraine had the most headache-related disability. The predictors for headache-related disability were intensity, frequent headache, and longer duration of symptoms prior to presentation.
Absenteeism ; Adolescent ; Child* ; Classification ; Female ; Headache ; Headache Disorders ; Humans ; Korea ; Migraine Disorders

Headache is a frequent neurological symptom in children and adolescents. Recurrent headaches have a significant disabling effect, with consequences including school absenteeism, decreased participation in extracurricular activities, and poor academic performance, and are a risk factor for further chronic headaches and other pain syndromes that merit increased attention. The most common types of primary headache in children and adolescents are migraine and tension-type headache (TTH). In a recent survey of South Korean school students, 29.1% of schoolchildren reported having recurrent headaches. TTH was more frequent than recurrent migraine headaches (13.7% vs. 8.7%), and the frequency of migraine and TTH increased with age. The prevalence rate of TTH in urban areas was higher than in suburban and rural areas. A trend was found for more severe disabilities to occur in older children with headache. Children and adolescents with migraine had the most severe headache-related disabilities. The predictors of headache-related disability were found to be migraine, severe intensity of the headache, frequent headache, and a longer duration of symptoms before presentation. Children and adolescents with recurrent or significant headaches should be diagnosed and treated promptly to reduce headache-related disability and to improve their quality of life.
Absenteeism ; Adolescent* ; Child* ; Headache Disorders ; Headache* ; Humans ; Migraine Disorders ; Prevalence* ; Quality of Life ; Risk Factors ; Tension-Type Headache

Two prospective, multi-centre, observational studies (GlaxoSmithKline [GSK] identifier No. 110938 and 112519) were performed over 2 influenza seasons (2007–2008 and 2008–2009) in the Republic of Korea (ROK) with the aim to evaluate the burden of laboratory-confirmed influenza (LCI) in patients ≥ 50 years of age seeking medical attention for acute respiratory illness (ARI). The median participant age was 58 years in the 2007–2008 season and 60 years in the 2008–2009 season. LCI was observed in 101/346 (29.2%) of ARI patients in the 2007–2008 season and in 166/443 (37.5%) of ARI patients in the 2008–2009 season. Compared to patients with non-influenza ARI, those with LCI had higher rates of decreased daily activities (60.4% vs. 32.9% in 2007–2008 and 46.4% vs. 25.8% in 2008–2009), work absenteeism (51.1% vs. 25.6% and 14.4% vs. 7.7%), and longer duration of illness. These results indicated that influenza is an important cause of ARI in adults aged 50 and older causing more severe illness than non-influenza related ARI.
Absenteeism ; Adult* ; Cohort Studies* ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Influenza, Human* ; Outpatients* ; Prospective Studies* ; Republic of Korea* ; Seasons