"Pressure to work when sick has long term negative effects" (BMJ press release)

[Dolphin]

I thought this might be of interest to some e.g. contrast with "work is good
for you"; or a lot of people with ME/CFS wish they had rested more in the
early stages.

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BMJ press release

(2) Pressure to work when sick has long term negative effects
(Editorial: Pressure to work through periods of short term sickness)
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.d3446

Professor Kevin Dew at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand,
says evidence suggests that, for many, the pressure to work when sick is
intense and more effort is needed to prevent this health debilitating
behaviour.

Presenteeism is more common in certain occupations, particularly those that
involve caring and teaching, and is higher for those who have greater
responsibility for patient care, he writes.

Similarly, workers who lack back-up, and for whom work accumulates while
they are absent, are more inclined to practise presenteeism.

Other work related factors that foster presenteeism include working in teams
where expectations to be present are high, limited sick leave entitlements,
high job demands, low levels of job satisfaction, fear of dismissal, and
concerns about promotion opportunities.

Certain medical conditions like depression and migraine are also linked with
presenteeism because they are not seen as legitimate reasons for absence.

Evidence shows that presenteeism increases illness, including
musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, depression, and serious coronary events. It
also leads to exhaustion which, in turn, leads to more presenteeism.

In healthcare settings, presenteeism poses a particular concern because of
the spread of infections, so preventive measures are taken, but Professor
Dew argues that less attention has been paid to presenteeism and its
prevention in other occupations.

"Presenteeism should be taken seriously if we are concerned with
occupational health or workplace productivity," he says. "Presenteeism is a
complex phenomenon that needs to be approached from several different levels
including workplace culture, workplace policies, and carefully considered
interventions from health practitioners."

He suggests that senior staff can help by discouraging over-commitment to
work and encouraging workers to allow sufficient recovery time from
sickness. Workers with poor health should receive special attention to avoid
presenteeism, he adds, because they are likely to have fewer resources to
call on to resist its negative impact.

He concludes: "Managers and occupational physicians need to be alert to the
findings that even though presenteeism may have some positive effects in the
short term . . . it is likely to be negative in the long term."
Contact:
Kevin Dew, Professor of Sociology, School of Social and Cultural Studies,
Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

 

[Snow Leopard]

One of the major "issues" I have with this is that people end up coming to work when they have cold/flus and end up infecting half the workplace. Not cool!

 

[WillowJ]

good find, Dolphin

yes, Snow Leopard, that is a problem

 

[alex3619]

One of the major "issues" I have with this is that people end up coming to work when they have cold/flus and end up infecting half the workplace. Not cool!

Hi Snow Leopard, agreed, and this results in much greater productivity losses than if the person stayed home - everybody loses, including the employer. Bye, Alex

 

[Dolphin]

One of the major "issues" I have with this is that people end up coming to work when they have cold/flus and end up infecting half the workplace. Not cool!

A friend of mine, from Ireland, commented on it is so much different in the workplace in Australia to Ireland (and also England where she has worked a lot). She was an accountant (has now changed careers) and she had a cold. One of her colleagues commented on it in the morning. Somebody else I think also did. Eventually the boss sent her home before lunch time even though she wasn't that bad. That'd never happen in Ireland was basically what she said. It may be because we have so many colds here.

 

[Mya Symons]

How about the pressure to work when you are sick with CFS or Fibromyalgia and get denied disability? Besides work, I haven't been out of my house for six months. All I can do is work. I spend all weekend in bed and after work I sit on the couch and worry about having to get up to get to bed. Sometimes I just can't do it.

Just had to let that out. Thanks.

 

[Esther12]

The more I learn about the role psychosocial factors can play in perpetuating illness, the more it seems that the psychosocial approach taken towards CFS patients was 100% wrong, and almost perfectly designed to induce chronic illness. Which would be funny in a novel, not so much when this is your one and only life.