Diabetes Resolution and Work Absenteeism After Gastric Bypass: a 6-Year Study

BACKGROUND: Obesity-related diseases cause costs to society. We studied the cost of work absenteeism before and after gastric bypass and the effects of postoperative diabetes resolution. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data were obtained from the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (SOReg) (national coverage >98%) and cross-matched with data from the Social insurance Agency (coverage 100%) for the period ±3 years from operation. In 2010, a total of 7454 bariatric surgeries were performed; the study group is 4971 unique individuals with an annual income of >10,750 Euros and complete data sets. A sex-, age-, and income-matched reference population was identified for comparison. RESULTS: Patients with obesity had preoperatively a 3.5-fold higher absenteeism. During follow-up (FU), the ratio relative to the reference population remained constant. An increase of 12–14 net absenteeism days was observed in the first 3 months after surgery. Female sex (OR 1.5, CI 1.13–1.8), preoperative anti-depressant use (OR 1.5, CI 1.3–1.9), low income (OR 1.4, CI 1.2–1.8), and a history of sick leave (OR 1.004, CI 1.003–1.004) were associated with increased absenteeism during FU. Diabetes resolution did not decrease absenteeism from preoperative values. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with obesity have higher preoperative absenteeism than the reference population. Operation caused an increase the first 90 days after surgery of 12–13 days. There were no relative increases in absenteeism in the next 3 years; patients did not deviate from preoperative patterns but followed the trend of the reference population. Preoperative diabetes did not elevate that level during FU; diabetes resolution did not lower absenteeism.