Non-Communicable Disease is Associated with Productivity Loss of Indonesian Urban Workers Risti Rosmiati (a*), Nila Reswari Haryana (a), Hardi Firmansyah (a), Muhammad Edwin Fransiari (a)
a) Nutrition Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Medan, Jl Willem Iskandar Pasar V Medan 20221, Indonesia
*ristirosmiati[at]unimed.ac.id
Abstract
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a significant health burden, particularly among the working-age population in urban settings. This study investigates the association between NCDs and productivity loss among Indonesian urban workers, utilizing data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) Wave 5. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on a representative sample of 11,542 respondents aged 19 to 64 years. The primary variable was the presence of NCDs, including hypertension, diabetes, stroke, cancer, liver disease, heart attack/coronary heart disease, and arthritis/rheumatism, identified through self-reporting. The outcome variable, productivity loss, was measured through absenteeism rates. The study employed Mann-Whitney U tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to assess the relationship between NCDs and absenteeism, adjusting for age, work hours, and nutritional status. Results indicated a significant association between NCDs and higher absenteeism (p=0.000), with NCD-affected individuals showing nearly double the absenteeism rates compared to those without NCDs. This association underscores the need for targeted workplace health interventions and public health policies aimed at preventing and managing NCDs to mitigate their impact on productivity and economic outcomes.
