Diabetic Foot and Work Outcomes: A Review

Abstract

The aim of this review article was to discuss impact of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) on employment status and work productivity. We performed a literature search from 2000 to 2023 in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and in national repositories. The major work outcomes studied were presenteeism and absenteeism. Many DFUs patients had a poor social and educational background. Overall, DFUs patients experienced increased loss of productivity in their workplaces: either they had to be absent more working hours than average or they faced increased difficulty in meeting their daily requirements. The total loss in productivity is estimated to exceed almost one-third of anticipated working time, while 15 to 34.3% of DFUs patients expressed concerns about severe changes in their working environment, attributed directly to their condition. More than 1 out of 5 DFUs patients (ranging from 20 to 31.7%) were even confronted with overall job loss and unemployment. Amputations had an even more marked negative effect. In conclusion, DFUs negatively affect employment status and work productivity. Therefore, we need more studies with large participant numbers to increase our experience and to explore potential measures to mitigate these adverse effects.

Keywords: absenteeism; diabetic foot; diabetic ulcers; presenteeism; work productivity.