Verzuim door psychische en somatische aandoeningen

Abstract

Work loss due to mental and physical disorders Work loss due to mental and physical disorders Work loss due to mental and chronic physical disorders in a nationally representative survey including 4.715 workers was estimated using data of Nemesis-2 (Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study-2), a study about psychiatric disorders among the Dutch adult population. Both absenteeism and presenteeism were asked for and also chronic physical disorders were assessed.A mental disorder was associated with 8,7 additional absent days per year, 7,7 days of reduced qualitative functioning and 9,9 total work loss days (days of reduced functioning were counted as half). For a chronic physical disorder, the number of days was 9,9, 2,6 and 9,9, respectively. No significant associations were found for reduced quantitative functioning. Adjusted for comorbidity, drug abuse, bipolar disorder, major depression, digestive disorders and panic disorder were associated with the highest number of additional total work loss days. Annual total work loss costs per million workers were estimated at € 360 million for any mental disorder; and € 706 million for any physical disorder.It can be concluded that policies designed to prevent, cure and lessen the impact of commonly occurring disorders will contribute to a reduction in absenteeism and presenteeism. If one keeps in mind that the indirect costs of (mental) disorders are often much higher than their medical costs, prevention and treatment of these conditions may be cost-effective.