Lost time, absence costs, and reduced productivity output for employees with bipolar disorder

We sought to evaluate the incremental health-related lost work time and at-work productivity loss for employees with bipolar disorder (BPD).

Health-related absence and real productivity output of employees with BPD were compared with that of non-BPD and other employee cohorts from a large employer database using multivariate regression to control for cohort differences.

After adjusting for confounding factors, employees with BPD had significantly higher absence costs (1,219 dollars) and 11.5 additional lost days (P<0.05) per year than those without BPD. Adjusted annual productivity output was 20% lower for the BPD group (P<0.05).

Employees with BPD are less likely to be present for work. When present, their productivity level is similar to that of other employees, but over the course of a year, their absence rates result in significant productivity losses.