Presenteeism: A Public Health Hazard

TLDR

Presenteeism, the act of attending work while ill, has been extensively studied in business and social science and is especially concerning in healthcare settings because it can facilitate infectious disease spread to vulnerable patients. This manuscript examines a viral gastroenteritis outbreak in a long‑term care facility to illustrate how presenteeism contributed to transmission and outbreak prolongation, and outlines factors influencing ill workers’ decisions and policy recommendations to curb presenteeism. The authors review existing literature to highlight the hazards of presenteeism in healthcare, analyze decision‑making factors, and propose organizational policy changes to reduce its incidence.

Abstract

"Presenteeism" occurs when an employee goes to work despite a medical illness that will prevent him or her from fully functioning at work. This problem has been well studied in the business and social science literature, and carries increased importance in the health care setting due to the risk of infectious disease transmission in vulnerable patient populations. In this manuscript, we discuss an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis in a long-term care facility and the role presenteeism played in disease transmission and extension of the outbreak. We use existing literature to point out the hazards of presenteeism in the health care sector. We will also discuss factors that may be involved in the decision to work while ill and propose policy changes that may reduce the incidence of presenteeism in health care organizations.