Cost burden of productivity loss due to sickness presenteeism among nurses in South Korea: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to estimate the annual cost burden of productivity loss due to sickness presenteeism among hospital nurses in South Korea.

Background: Despite nurses being potentially more vulnerable to presenteeism, few studies have analyzed nurses’ productivity losses due to sickness presenteeism.

Methods: This cross-sectional study employed an online survey in January 2023 with 607 nurses working in general/tertiary hospitals in South Korea. The annual cost burden of productivity loss due to sickness presenteeism was calculated based on nurse health conditions, productivity loss, the number of days worked while sick, and income. This study was reported according to the STROBE checklist.

Results: Overall, 93.2% of participants (n = 566) reported at least one health condition, and musculoskeletal diseases were the most prevalent, followed by weariness or fatigue, and sleep-related problems. Approximately 63.9% of participants reported experiencing sickness presenteeism in the preceding four weeks. Those in the severe multimorbidity group exhibited the highest prevalence of sickness presenteeism and productivity loss. The average annual cost of productivity loss due to sickness presenteeism was USD 2,388.26 per nurse and USD 382.11 million at the national level.

Discussion: The cost of sickness presenteeism is high among hospital nurses in South Korea. Nurses with severe multimorbidity engaged in more sickness presenteeism and had higher productivity losses than nurses who were relatively healthy or exhibited moderate multimorbidity.

Conclusion: These findings support the need for stakeholders to develop strategies/policies to better address nurses’ health conditions, secure better staffing, and reduce sickness presenteeism.

Implications for nursing policy: Addressing this issue will not only improve nurse well-being and patient care but also lead to substantial cost savings for healthcare facilities. Additionally, the study findings can inform future cost-effectiveness studies.