Science and Health

Going to work sick makes you sicker in long term

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-10 15:39

CANBERRA - Going to work when you are feeling sick can make you sicker in the long run, an expert told Australia's media on Friday.

New Zealand sociologist Professor Kevin Dew from the Victoria University in Wellington, has assessed more than 40 papers about " presenteeism".

He defined presenteeism as: "People that are turning up at work when they feel that they should be at home sick."

"People feel compelled to go to work because someone else would have to take up the workload (and they have a) feeling of responsibility for not being able to care properly for patients (if they don't show up)," he told the Australia Associated Press on Friday.

He said that evidence suggested people who go to work when they are sick can have long term negative effects on health and productivity.

Evidence shows that presenteeism increases illness, including musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, depression, and serious coronary events. It also leads to exhaustion which, in turn, leads to more presenteeism.

Prof. Dew said certain medical conditions like depression and migraine are also linked with presenteeism because they are not seen as legitimate reasons for absence.

He has written an editorial in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal about his findings.