Chemical dependence. Analysis of work absenteeism and associated medical illnesses

Workers with a medical diagnosis of chemical dependence were selected and compared with matched controls; we hypothesized there were significant differences in absenteeism and certain medical illnesses. Employee data were obtained from medical insurance sickness and accident reports. Illnesses were summarized into diagnostic clusters for analysis. Chemically-dependent workers had significantly more (P less than .05) absenteeism, injuries hypertension, and mental disorders than did the control group. Using these findings, employers can conduct prospective studies that select workers to be screened for chemical dependence.