Work - Volume 75, issue 1

Authors: Alturkistani, Samahir

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Globally, chronic conditions are becoming more prevalent, both in general and within the workforce. Moreover, the appropriate workplace recognition and interventions are lacking for employees with chronic conditions, which may affect productivity and quality of work as a result of increased rates of absenteeism among such employees. OBJECTIVE: The main objective was to examine the correlation between healthcare administrators’ chronic conditions and job absenteeism at King Abdullah Medical City (KAMC) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at KAMC in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Data obtained from the responses of 225 administrative employees …with a chronic condition working at KAMC. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics version 20. RESULTS: The results of this study indicated that a significantly relationship exists between chronic heartburn, as well as other chronic conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, severe anemia, chronic fatigue, and high blood pressure or hypertension with employees’ job absenteeism. CONCLUSION: According to the obtained results, employees’ chronic conditions have a significant impact on absenteeism. Therefore, we recommend that employers intervene to determine how employees’ chronic conditions affect their health and prevent them from attending work. Providing workplace health and wellness programs within an organization can improve employee health, thereby reducing the rate of absenteeism and increase the rate of productivity in the working environment. Show more

Keywords: Noncommunicable diseases, employees, absenteeism, occupational health, workforce

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220157

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 1, pp. 349-355, 2023

Authors: Kesiena, Onoriode | Atarere, Joseph | Benden, Mark

Article Type: Brief Report

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Although the association of chronic pain (CP) with a poor work-life balance has been well studied, the interaction effect of multiple pain sites on work-life balance is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the most prevalent CP site among healthcare workers, the demographic characteristics of the individuals with the predominant pain type, and to assess the interaction of multiple pain sites on work-life balance. METHODS: Using data from the National Health Interview Survey, 2,458 healthcare works were identified for this study. The independent variables were chronic low back and hip pain. The dependent variables were (1) if …pain affected their family or significant other, (2) if pain limited their life or work activities, and (3) Usually working >35 hours/week. Multiple logistic regression and an interaction analysis were used to analyze the impact of different pain sites on work-life balance. RESULTS: Among healthcare workers, chronic low back pain was more prevalent than chronic hip pain (69.4% vs 61.4%, p -value<0.001). Respondents with chronic low back pain were mostly 40 – 64 years of age (49.6%), females (71.2%), white (77.6%), married (55.5%), had no college degree (85.4%), earn greater than $75,000 (50.0%). In the interaction analysis, in the presence of chronic hip pain, those with chronic low back pain had an AOR of 2.20 (1.05 – 4.64), p -value 0.038 of chronic low back pain affecting their family and significant others, and an AOR of 2.18 (1.17– 4.05), p -value 0.014 of chronic low back pain affecting their life or work. CONCLUSION: Chronic low back pain was more prevalent than chronic hip pain among healthcare workers. Together both pain sites had a significant impact on the work-life balance of this population. Further studies should assess other dimensions of work-life balance and chronic pain. Show more

Keywords: Work, back, hip, family, chronic

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-211239

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 1, pp. 357-362, 2023

Authors: Valencia-Contrera, Miguel | Rivera-Rojas, Flerida

Article Type: Letter

Keywords: (MeSH): Occupational exposure, occupational health, occupational health physicians, occupational health nursing

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220574

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 1, pp. 363-363, 2023