Hay fever decreases productivity, Vitamin D can help - many studies

Japan Tackles Productivity Losses From Its Pollen-Rich Trees - April 2024

Bloomberg
40% of workers and students were affected in 2019, but only 20% in 2004
The economic losses are sizable: about $1.5 billion every day
Pollen season in Japan lasts from Feb thru April

Vitamin D Life suspects that there is not 2X more pollen now,
but rather that Vitamin D levels have been crashing

14+ Vitamin D Life pages have "HAY FEVER" or "ALLERGIC RHINITIS" in the title

This list is automatically updated

TOTALL: high cost of allergic rhinitis—a national Swedish population-based questionnaire study – Feb 2016

 Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life

Abstract Allergic rhinitis is a global illness with a well-recognised impact on quality of life and work performance. Comparatively little is known about the extent of its economic impact on society. The TOTALL study estimates the total cost of allergic rhinitis using a sample representing the entire Swedish population of working age. A questionnaire focused on allergic rhinitis was mailed out to a random population of Swedish residents, aged 18–65 years. Health-care contacts, medications, absenteeism (absence from work) and presenteeism (reduced working capacity at work) were assessed, and the direct and indirect costs of allergic rhinitis were calculated. Medication use was evaluated in relation to the ARIA guidelines. In all, 3,501 of 8,001 (44%) answered the questionnaire, and 855 (24%) of these reported allergic rhinitis. The mean annual direct and indirect costs because of allergic rhinitis were €210.3 and €750.8, respectively, resulting in a total cost of €961.1 per individual/year. Presenteeism represented 70% of the total cost. Antihistamines appear to be used in excess in relation to topical steroids, and the use of nasal decongestants was alarmingly high.
The total cost of allergic rhinitis in Sweden, with a population of 9.5 million, was estimated at €1.3 billion annually. These unexpectedly high costs could be related to the high prevalence of disease, in combination with the previously often underestimated indirect costs. Improved adherence to guidelines might ease the economic burden on society.

Editorial Summary: Allergies: Hay fever costly to Swedish society
Allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever, costs Swedish society €1.3 billion annually. Johan Hellgren and colleagues from the Swedish Rhinologic Research Alliance and the Swedish Institute for Health Economy sent questionnaires to a random population of Swedish residents aged 18-65 years. Nearly a quarter of the 3,501 responders were found to suffer from allergic rhinitis. The team calculated the direct and indirect costs of allergic rhinitis by assessing health-care contacts, medications, absence from work and reduced capacity while working. The total annual cost of the disease was estimated at €961 per person affected. Working while incapacitated by the condition represented 70% of the total cost. The use of nasal decongestant and steroid spray was similar (~40%). The team says improved adherence to treatment guidelines may ease the economic burden of the disease.

Nasal Allergies: More Than a Nuisance US News March 2019

• “of 100 patients who had moderate to severe symptoms of hay fever, 66 percent of adults and 43 percent of children reported sleep disturbances”
• “Recent research found an estimated 3.6 percent of missed work time (absenteeism) and 35.9 percent of work performance problems (presenteeism) resulted from nasal allergies.”
• “There has been a great deal of interest in climate change. What's that have to do with spring hay fever? A lot!”

Treating allergic rhinitis through better patient management Medical Economics April 2015

• “…50 million Americans suffer from allergic rhinitis, which includes hay fever and seasonal or perennial indoor/outdoor nasal allergies.”
• “These conditions are thought to affect up to 30% of adults and 40% of children”
  • …in the 1940s, hay fever was estimated to affect only 1% of the U. S. population”
• “Hay fever is the fifth-leading chronic disease for adults and a significant cause of work absenteeism,”
• “In addition, hay fever results in significant presenteeism, with poor performance while at work due either to the symptoms of the condition itself or the effects of medication used to treat those symptoms.”
• “Even with these attempts at treatment, about 50% of patients with allergic rhinitis report symptoms lasting more than four months per year, and 20% have symptoms lasting at least nine months.”

Got Hay Fever? Get to Work! WebMD 2008

• “Hay fever is the fifth most common chronic disease”
• “"For people with hay fever who get the right medicine and the right dosage, the amount of lost productivity has dropped to almost zero. But if you're not taking medication — or taking the wrong medication — there will be lost productivity.”

Poll of people with allergies

• 43% said that allergies affected their productivity at work.
• 50% said their ability to concentrate was impaired.
• 68% had trouble getting a good night's sleep.

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