Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Comprehensive Self-Management Program Improves Presenteeism in Persons with...

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Occupational Health
• Behavioral Medicine

Background:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) significantly impacts work productivity through absenteeism, presenteeism, and activity impairment.
• Existing treatments for IBS often focus on symptom management, with less emphasis on work-related functional outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of a comprehensive self-management (CSM) intervention against usual care in mitigating work and activity impairments in adults with IBS.
• To assess the sustained impact of the CSM intervention on productivity and daily functioning over 12 months.

Main Methods:

• A secondary data analysis of 160 adults with IBS using daily diaries and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (WPAI-IBS) questionnaire.
• Data collected at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months post-randomization.
• Mixed-effects modeling employed to compare CSM intervention effects versus usual care.

Main Results:

• The CSM intervention demonstrated superior improvements in WPAI-IBS scores and diary-measured presenteeism compared to usual care.
• Significant reductions in overall work productivity loss and activity impairment were observed with the CSM intervention.
• These positive effects on work and activity impairments were sustained up to 12 months post-intervention (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive self-management intervention is effective in improving work productivity and reducing activity impairments in individuals with IBS.
• The CSM intervention offers sustained benefits, suggesting its value in managing the functional consequences of IBS.
• The intervention showed particular benefit for IBS patients experiencing greater baseline work and activity limitations, highlighting its potential for targeted application.