New study shows link between acid reflux disease and work productivity

Acid reflux disease (also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, GORD or GERD) is a condition with a very high level of disruption to the lives of sufferers in terms of symptoms, activities of daily living and employment. A recent study published by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine investigated the link between the incidence of GORD and employees’ attendance and productivity. The findings of the study reveal that GORD is associated with a significant increase in employee’s work absence and a significant decrease in both hourly and annual productivity.

GORD is a disease of the lower oesophagus (foodpipe) and stomach. It involves inflammation and irritation of the lower oesophagus due to the reflux of food and gastric acid.

Previous studies on the association between GORD and absences from work have reported that work interference stems from symptoms that disturb sleep and cause daytime tiredness. This latest study is the first to examine the associations between GORD, absences and productivity using objective data and specific analysis techniques.

The case-control study measured work absences and on-the-job productivity in a sample of approximately 350,000 employees from several large, national employers in the United States. The researchers examined claims data, including health care, prescription drug, absence, disability and workers compensation data together with employee demographic and payroll data.

The findings of the study reveal that GORD is associated with a significant increase in employee’s work absence and a significant decrease in both hourly and annual productivity.  Compared to employees without GORD, employees with GORD had an average of:

• 41% more sick leave days
• 59% more short-term disability days
• 39% more long-term disability days
• 48% more workers’ compensation days
• 4.4% lower objective productivity per hour worked; and
• 6.0% lower annual objective productivity.

The results of the study highlight both an area of concern for employers and an opportunity for improvement of disease management which could lead to improved work productivity.

Adequate treatment of GORD and its complications should either prevent repeated reflux of gastric contents into the oesophagus or reduce the damaging effect of gastric acid. As no pharmaceutical agent can fully correct the motor dysfunction responsible for acid reflux into the oesophagus, acid suppression remains the most effective way to relieve symptoms and to promote healing of oesophagitis in patients with GORD.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), (eg pantoprazole (Somac), Rabeprazole (Pariet), Omeprazole (Losec), Lansoprazole (Zoton) etc) are medications that can be used to reduce or suppress acid production in the stomach.

If you are experiencing GORD-type symptoms, it is recommended that you discuss your treatment options in detail with your doctor to determine which method of treatment is most appropriate for you.

References

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