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The Impact and Burden of Chronic Pain in the Workplace: A Qualitative Systematic Review
Author(s) -
Patel Ajay S.,
Farquharson Rachel,
Carroll Dawn,
Moore Andrew,
Phillips Ceri J.,
Taylor Rod S.,
Barden Jodie
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
pain practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1533-2500
pISSN - 1530-7085
DOI - 10.1111/j.1533-2500.2012.00547.x
Subject(s) - presenteeism , medicine , absenteeism , observational study , psychological intervention , systematic review , medline , econlit , cochrane library , checklist , family medicine , physical therapy , randomized controlled trial , nursing , psychology , surgery , social psychology , pathology , political science , law , cognitive psychology
Background: Chronic pain (CP) poses a diverse and substantial burden for employees, employers, and society. The deleterious consequences of CP in the workplace are frequently underestimated. Objective: To estimate the burden of CP in the European workplace. Methods: A systematic review following PRISMA statement guidelines was conducted to identify studies reporting work‐related outcomes for people with CP. EMBASE, MEDLINE, EconLit, and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to 18th August 2010. Results: We identified 91 observational studies. Few were specifically designed to investigate the association between CP, productivity, and employment. The focus for this review was studies clearly reporting outcomes relating to the burden of CP on employment status ( n = 37), sickness absence (absenteeism, n = 47), and loss of productivity because of reduced ability at work (presenteeism, n = 8). Conclusion: The body of evidence identified from the systematic review indicates that CP has a substantial negative impact on work‐related outcomes, supporting the importance of interventions to reduce the burden of CP. Well‐designed prospective studies specifically assessing the direct consequences of CP on employment are needed to confirm these findings.