OBJECTIVES : To use objective data to measure absence time and costs for employees whose spouses/partners have mental disorders and determine if utilization/payments varied over time.

METHODS : Retrospective analysis of the Workpartners Research Reference Database (RRDb, 2001—2019). Spouses/partners with medical claims for back pain (spondylosis; intervertebral disc disorders; other back problems) were identified annually. For eligible employees (EMPs) of the spouses/partners, the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) as a measure of severity, all-cause utilization (% of EMPs filing claims), mean days of leave, and median payments as a % of salary (PMTs) for sick-leave (SL), short-/long-term disability (STD/LTD, respectively) and workers' compensation (WC) were calculated and compared with baseline (2001). Disability & WC payments included lump-sum distributions and potentially extended beyond initiation year. WC claims without absences were excluded. SL payments are equal to salary. All leaves were aggregated by initiation year.

RESULTS : Spouses’/partners’ back pain prevalence ranged from 4.8—7.1%. The EMPs’ CCI ranged from 0.259—0.471. At baseline 24.7%/4.5%/0.2%/0.5% of EMPs had leaves for SL/STD/LTD/WC, lasting 5.32/38.04/833.91/316.44 mean days with PMTs of 100%/75.8%/27.8%/205.4%. From 2002—2019: 24.7—68.1% of EMPs used SL lasting 82.11—213.9% of baseline days (BDs); 4.2—7.3% of EMPs filed STD claims lasting 95.7—136.1% of BDs at 87.9—124.9% of baseline PMTs; 0.3—0.5% of EMPs filed LTD claims lasting 61.9—390.6% of BDs and 155.1—475.0% PMTs; 0.5—1.6% of EMPs filed WC claims lasting 94.0—541.8% of BDs and 82.3—252.5% PMTs. PMTs were highest in 2011 for STD, 2002 for LTD, 2005 for WC. Days of leave were longest in 2015 for SL, 2019 for STD, 2005 for LTD and WC.

CONCLUSIONS : Management of employees providing care for their partners/spouses with back pain is a growing concern for employers. The impact of caring for a spouse/partner with back pain varies over time and benefit. Use of constant proxies for absence cost estimates is inappropriate.