OBJECTIVES

We investigated the lost production value caused by days sick from work and days with lower productivity at work attributable to allergic rhinitis (AR) symptoms. Comparisons between groups were made by severity, as measured by the m-ARIA classification.

METHODS

An online questionnaire combining the ARIA questionnaire with a modified version of the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire was developed. This was distributed on a Dutch and a Swedish patient website. Inclusion criteria for the analysis were being in paid employment and having AR as assessed by the ARIA questionnaire. Monetization of productivity loss was calculated by the hours lost to sick days and lower productivity, multiplied by the hourly wage.

RESULTS

46 (20%) of the individuals were classified as severe, 175 (75%) as moderate and 11 (5%) as mild. Mild patients were excluded from the analysis, because of the low number of respondents. Severe patients reported on average 4.8 sick days, meaning they would take a day off work because of symptoms, while moderate patients reported 3.4 sick days per year. Severe patients had 30.5 work days per year impaired by symptoms, in which they would produce 50% of what they would do on a healthy day. In comparison, patients with moderate AR had on average 18.2 work days impaired by symptoms and could produce at a rate of 75%. The productivity loss was €2406 (SD: 3433) per year for the severe patient group and €1357 (SD: 2822) for the moderate group.

CONCLUSIONS

The productivity loss for patients with AR was almost two times larger for patients with severe AR than patients with moderate AR. Both groups incur a considerate productivity loss each year representing lost value to society. Policy makers trying to increase production in society should look for curative treatments lowering the number of days impaired by AR.