Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Program on Presenteeism and Absenteeism among Healthcare Workers in Poland

Karolina Hoffmann; Anna Paczkowska; Michał Michalak; Marzena Jarząb; Wiesław Bryl; Elżbieta Nowakowska; Krzysztof Kus; Piotr Ratajczak; Tomasz Zaprutko; Dorota Kopciuch

doi:10.3390/vaccines12010023

Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Program on Presenteeism and Absenteeism among Healthcare Workers in Poland

Vaccines (Basel). 2023 Dec 24;12(1):23. doi: 10.3390/vaccines12010023.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Diseases, Metabolic Disorders and Arterial Hypertension, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Szamarzewskiego 84 Street, 60-572 Poznan, Poland.
² Department of Pharmacoeconomics and Social Pharmacy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 7 Street, 60-806 Poznan, Poland.
³ Department of Computer Science and Statistics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 7 Street, 60-806 Poznan, Poland.
⁴ Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Institute of Health Sciences, Collegium Medicum, University of Zielona Gora, Licealna 9 Street, 65-417 Zielona Góra, Poland.

Abstract

Background: There is sufficient scientific literature on the effectiveness of registered vaccines in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection, but research on the impact of the COVID-19 vaccination program on social and economic aspects is lacking. In connection with the above, this study aimed to assess the impact of vaccinations on presenteeism and absenteeism among healthcare professionals in the workplace caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A post-marketing, cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out on a sample of 736 actively employed healthcare professionals. Among them, 215 individuals (29.21%) were unvaccinated (control group). The study group consisted of 521 vaccinated respondents, with 52.97% being women and 47.03% men. A self-administered questionnaire was developed and delivered online to the target population group of healthcare workers.

Results: A significant association (p < 0.01) was observed between the number of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine received and presenteeism among the respondents. Among the unvaccinated respondents (2.30 ± 1.19) or those vaccinated with only one dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (2.16 ± 1.11), the COVID-19 pandemic had a significantly higher impact on work performance compared to individuals vaccinated with three doses of the vaccine (1.19 ± 1.11). Moreover, a significant association was found (p = 0.0265) between the number of workdays missed (over the last twelve months) due to COVID-19-related sick leave and the number of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine received. The number of workdays missed due to COVID-19 sick leave was lowest in the group vaccinated with three doses (2.00 ± 6.75) and highest in the unvaccinated group (5.32 ± 16.24).

Conclusions: Our results clearly show that the widely implemented national COVID-19 vaccination program brings tangible benefits both in medical and economic terms. The extent of reducing absenteeism and presenteeism caused by the coronavirus disease depended on the number of vaccine doses administered.

Keywords: COVID-19; absenteeism; pharmacoeconomics; presenteeism; vaccines.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.