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COVID-19-Related Work Absenteeism and Associated Lost Productivity Cost in Germany: A Population-Based Study
Jingyan Yang1, Kiran K Rai, Monica Seif
1From the Pfizer Inc., New York, NY (J.Y., H.R.V., J.L.N.); Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, Columbia University, New York, New York (J.Y.); Adelphi Real World, Bollington, United Kingdom (K.K.R., M.S., H.G., L.M.); Pfizer Inc, Collegeville, Pennsylvania (J.R.); and BioNTech Europe GmbH, Berlin, Germany (A.S., S.P.).
Objective:
The aim of the study is to estimate COVID-19 absenteeism and indirect costs, by care setting.
Methods:
A population-based retrospective cohort study using data from the German Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) database to define outpatient (April 2020-December 2021) and hospitalized (April 2020-October 2022) cohorts of employed working-aged individuals.
Results:
In the outpatient cohort ( N = 369,220), median absenteeism duration and associated cost was 10.0 (Q1, Q3: 5.0, 15.0) days and €1061 (530, 1591), respectively. In the hospitalized cohort ( n = 20,687), median absenteeism and associated cost was 15.0 (7.0, 32.0) days and €1591 (743, 3394), respectively. Stratified analyses showed greater absenteeism in older workers, those at risk, and those with severe disease.
Conclusions:
The hospitalized cohort had longer absenteeism resulting in higher productivity loss. Being older, at risk of severe COVID-19 and higher disease severity during hospitalization were important drivers of higher absenteeism duration.
