Work stress' economic impact in medical costs and absence from work

2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 16590518
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Public health/Health science
• Research Institution: KANAZAWA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: ISHIZAKI Masao Kanazawa Medical University Faculty of Medicine, Associate Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (10184516)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HIDEAKI Nakagawa Kanazawa Medical University, Faculty of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (00097437) ; RYUMON Honda Kanazawa Medical University Faculty of Medicine, Lecturer, 医学部, 講師 (60097441) ; YUICHI Yamada Kanazawa Medical University Faculty of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (70158228) ; TAKASHI Muto Dokkyo Medical University, Faculty of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (30209986)
• Project Period (FY): 2004 – 2005
• Keywords: work stress / economic impact / medical costs / absence from work

Research Abstract

RESEARCH RESULTS
The object of this study was to evaluate the economic influence of vocational stress in a metal-products factory. The test group consisted of 3975 male and 2155 female employees aged 19-55. Work stress was quantified using the Job Content Questionnaire and Effort-reward Imbalance Questionnaire. Lost labor in economic value due to absence from work and medical costs were evaluated.
(1) absence from work :
Absence from work in this study is comprised of sick leave, paid holidays and absences without clear reasons. The mean follow-up days and geometric mean days of absence from work per 30 days were 1200【plus-minus】223 and 0.619【multiply-divide】0.292 for males and 1257【plus-minus】164 and 0.825【multiply-divide】0.289 for females. By multiplying the difference of absent days from work between the high score group and the low score group by average wage, we estimated that the labor loss of the low job control group was equivalent to 10,100 Yen/30 days for males and 10,700 Yen/30 days for females. The labor loss of the low worksite support group for males was equivalent to 8,600 Yen/30 days.
(2) medical costs reported by the Health Insurance :
The subjects who had used the Health Insurance during the one month period preceding the Questionnaire survey were excluded. The mean follow-up months was 43.8【plus-minus】1.0. For males, the 50% tile value of medical expenditure in the low worksite support group was about 330 Yen per month more than that in the high worksite support group.
These results show that the prevention of work stress is not only beneficial for health but also economically beneficial.