Productivity losses among individuals with common mental illness and comorbid cardiovascular disease in rural Karnataka, India

• Main Authors: Farah Naaz Fathima, James G Kahn, Srinivasan Krishnamachari, Maria Ekstrand
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Noncommunicable Diseases
• Subjects: Cardiovascular disease; common mental illness; productivity losses
• Online Access: http://www.ijncd.org/article.asp?issn=2468-8827;year=2019;volume=4;issue=3;spage=86;epage=92;aulast=Fathima

Context: Common mental disorders (CMD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) frequently co-occur. Productivity losses due to these diseases are substantial in high-income countries. Similar data from the developing world are lacking. Aims: This study aims to quantify productivity losses among individuals with comorbid CMD and CVD in rural Karnataka, India. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was done among patients with a dual diagnosis of a comorbid CMD and CVD in a district in Karnataka, India. Subjects and Methods: Three hundred and three patients were administered the iMTA Productivity Cost Questionnaire to measure losses of productivity at paid work (absenteeism and presenteeism) and unpaid work. Statistical Analysis Used: Valuation of productivity losses was done by multiplying the number of days of lost productivity by the standard value of productivity based on the minimum wage for agricultural work. Results: Among individuals with dual CMD and CVD, 76% had productivity losses. These losses were higher at unpaid (62%) than at paid work (32%). At paid work, losses due to presenteeism were greater than those due to absenteeism. The total days of productivity loss were 1204, amounting to 14.2% of the available person-days. The total productivity loss among 303 individuals with mental illness and comorbid CVD over a 4-week period amounted to 30.3 INR (0.47 USD) per person per day, representing 9.9% of total potential productivity. Conclusions: Productivity losses due to common mental illnesses and CVDs are high. There is a need to conduct more studies in this field.