The study, one of the first to detail the effects of a specific medical treatment on work productivity, suggests that the use of sedating antihistamines has substantial indirect economic costs. Led by Iain M. Cockburn, PhD, of the University of British Columbia, researchers analyzed health claims data and daily work output for 5,888 insurance claims processors over a two-year period. Data revealed that worker productivity decreased by an average of eight percent within three days after filling a prescription for sedating antihistamines. In contrast, productivity increased by five percent in the days after filling a prescription for non-sedating antihistamines. Workers receiving the two different types of antihistamines had similar productivity just before filling their prescriptions, suggesting that the condition for which the drugs were prescribed had little impact on productivity if untreated.
Antihistamines are widely used drugs, especially in patients with allergies.
With older antihistamines, drowsiness was a well-recognized side effect. More recently, non-sedating antihistamines have become available. Traditionally, it has been difficult to assess the effects of various illnesses and treatments on work productivity. The productivity database used for this study provides a rare opportunity to perform such a specific analysis. Further research into the effects of medical treatments on productivity could provide an economic argument for helping workers to maintain a high level of health.