Joint Contributions of Psychological Distress and Overweight to Productivity Loss Costs in Finland

Background

Psychological distress and overweight are important exposure for sickness absence (SA). However, their joint contributions to productivity loss and related employer costs are unknown. We estimated these joint associations with the direct employer cost of presenteeism and SA.

Methods

Survey data from the Helsinki Health Study (2017) of employees aged 19–39 (n = 3,508; 80% women) were linked with 12-month employer’s personnel register data, stratified by gender. We formed four groups based on psychological distress (yes/no) and overweight (body mass index ≥25 kg/m²; yes/no). Presenteeism days were estimated using register data, Work Ability Score (WAS), and WAS-based discount factors. Productivity loss cost was evaluated from presenteeism days, short (1–10 days), and subsequent (11–60 days, 30% employers cost) SA. We used a two-part model to estimate the cost differences between exposure groups, adjusting for health and sociodemographic factors.

Results

Men and women with psychological distress and overweight had higher costs due to presenteeism (men €3,264, 95% CI 2,116–4,411; women €3,430, 95% CI 2,822–4,037) and short SA (men €929, 95% CI 133–1,726; women €954, 95% CI 520–1,388) compared to those without. The costs associated with presenteeism, short, and subsequent days SA were higher (men €4,470; 95% CI: 2,368–6,572; women €4,603; 95% CI: 3,533–5,673) compared to those without these exposures. Differences in SA costs for 11–60 days were insignificant. The associations remained after full adjustments.

Conclusions

The co-occurrence of psychological distress and overweight is associated with higher productivity losses among young and early midlife employees. These findings emphasize the need for early workplace interventions addressing both mental health and weight-related factors. From a public health perspective, preventing these issues in early working life can sustain work ability, reduce future SA, and lessen the economic burden on society.

Key messages

• Psychological distress and overweight contribute to increased presenteeism costs. It is important to address these prevalent risk factors early, as they impact a large portion of the workforce.

• Findings highlight the need for early detection of loss of workability and support for both mental and physical health simultaneously. Fostering a healthier workforce benefits employees and employers.