Liang Lu, Yongfa Chen

School of International Pharmaceutical Business, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing City, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Yongfa Chen, School of International Pharmaceutical Business, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 25 86185038, Fax +86 25 86185279, Email cyf@cpu.edu.cn

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the association between suboptimal health status and health-related productivity loss among primary healthcare workers in China.
Material and Methods: A field questionnaire survey was conducted with a multistage sampling among primary healthcare workers. The data on sub-health and health-related productivity loss were collected using the Sub-health Measurement Scale Version 1.0 and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: General Health, respectively. Ordinary least squares regression was used to evaluate the association of the suboptimal health and health-related productivity loss. Subgroup analyses were performed by occupation (physician and nurse).
Results: Front-line primary healthcare workers (N = 1709) from 31 provinces in China responded to the survey. Of all participants, 73.43% experienced suboptimal health. The status of being in physical suboptimal health (Coef. = 0.050, p < 0.001, 95% CI = [0.031,0.070]) and mental suboptimal health (Coef. = 0.040, p < 0.001, 95% CI = [0.020,0.059]) status exerted significant effect on the extent of health-related productivity loss among primary healthcare workers in China. Nurses in social adaptation suboptimal health status (Coef. = 0.030, p = 0.027, 95% CI = [0.003,0.057]) had significant effect on health-related productivity loss.
Conclusion: The prevalence of suboptimal health is high among the respondents. Providing support for primary healthcare workers from bio-psycho-social aspects is an effective measure to promote their occupational health and improve their productivity.

Keywords: occupational health, productivity, presenteeism, healthcare workers, cross-sectional survey