Objective: The aim of the study is to estimate COVID-19 absenteeism and indirect costs, by care setting.
Methods: A population-based retrospective cohort study using data from the German Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) database to define outpatient (April 2020-December 2021) and hospitalized (April 2020-October 2022) cohorts of employed working-aged individuals.
Results: In the outpatient cohort ( N = 369,220), median absenteeism duration and associated cost was 10.0 (Q1, Q3: 5.0, 15.0) days and €1061 (530, 1591), respectively. In the hospitalized cohort ( n = 20,687), median absenteeism and associated cost was 15.0 (7.0, 32.0) days and €1591 (743, 3394), respectively. Stratified analyses showed greater absenteeism in older workers, those at risk, and those with severe disease.
Conclusions: The hospitalized cohort had longer absenteeism resulting in higher productivity loss. Being older, at risk of severe COVID-19 and higher disease severity during hospitalization were important drivers of higher absenteeism duration.
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.