Productivity losses among people with back pain and among population-based references: a register-based study in Sweden

Abstract

ObjectiveBack pain is the leading cause for years lived with disability globally and among the main reasons for sickness absence (SA) and disability pension (DP). The objective of this study was to explore the occurrence of SA and DP and to estimate productivity losses among individuals with back pain compared with among matched population-based references.DesignExplorative prospective cohort study using register microdata.Participants and settingA total of 23 176 people, aged 19–60 years, with a first visit to inpatient or specialised outpatient healthcare for back pain (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems code M54) in 2010 in Sweden and a matched population-based reference group (n=115 880).OutcomesLong-term SA (in SA spells >14 days) and DP and productivity losses, measured in € (2018 prices) by multiplying the SA and DP net days by the societal cost of each such day.ResultsIn the back-pain group, 42% had SA or DP days; in the reference group, the corresponding proportion was 15%. Productivity loss per patient with back pain was €8928 during the 12-month follow-up period; in the reference group, it was €3499 (p<0.0001).ConclusionsSA and DP, leading to excess productivity losses among people with back pain, reflect the challenges these patients are facing to maintain their work capacity. Interventions to promote that individuals with back pain remain in paid work should be a priority in order to address the high costs.

Psychosocial Working Conditions and Subsequent Sickness Absence—Effects of Pain and Common Mental Disorders in a Population-Based Swedish Twin Sample

“…Another specific interest of this study was to investigate the role of pain and/or CMD to the associations between psychosocial working conditions and three different SA measures. Based on the earlier research, we expected them to play a role 13–18 . Only pain seemed to affect the associations, but the effect varied for the different SA measures of this study.…”

“…A recent meta-analysis indicated that psychosocial stressors at work (ie, job demands, job control, and social support) were associated with an increased risk of SA due to mental disorders 13 . Furthermore, pain and common mental disorders (CMDs), including anxiety, and depression, are known to be linked with increased risk of SA 14–18 . However, how pain and/or CMDs might influence the associations between psychosocial working conditions and SA is far less studied, especially in association with SA due to circulatory diagnoses.…”

Subjective Social Status (SSS) as an Important Mediator in the Association between Socioeconomic Status (SES) and Mental Health

“…In our study, Higher SES scores were found to reduce the prevalence of mental disorders (including depression, anxiety, and stress) in both men and women. In a great study of approximately one million people living in 55 regions of Sweden, factors such as low social support, social humiliation, low employment status, and economic problems were found to be independently associated with mental health symptoms; however, education had no signi cant effect on the participants' mental health status (35). According to Wang et al, a low SES contributes to the development of major depressive disorder in the general Canadian population; however, this association depends on factors of gender and employment status.…”

Occupational recovery of Dutch workers with low back pain

“…Although LBP-associated sick leave is known to cause substantial indirect costs, estimates of these costs from recent studies vary widely, ranging from ~€3000 to ~€16 000 per episode [ 11 , 12 ]. A reason for this variation could be that it is unclear what underlying LBP diagnoses are associated with sick leave costs, as studies either do not differentiate between LBP diagnoses or only focus on one type of LBP [ 13 , 14 ]. Only one known study distinguished several LBP diagnoses [ 11 ].…”