New research has revealed that most of the American workers hide their chronic conditions at work.
According to Health Day, new polls found that 60% of US workers with chronic illnesses like heart disease, asthma, or diabetes keep their health conditions secret at work. It also suggested that more than one-third of the workers have skipped important medical appointments in 2024 due to work-related reasons.
The lead author of the survey done by the Harvard Opinion Research Program, Gillian SteelFisher, said, “Workers commonly feel stigmatised by their conditions, and this can have a profound effect on both their work and their health.”
The polls conducted in October 2024 surveyed 1,010 part-time and full-time working adults of organisations with 50 or more employees. It was found that 58% of the workers had at least one form of chronic health condition, 76% required time and resources to take care of their health during work hours, while shockingly, 60 of them kept their health condition from the bosses.
Moreover, it further suggested that 36% of the workers skipped or delayed appointments or needed care due to work issues, 49% were unable to take needed breaks, and 1 in 4 believed that they missed their promotion because of their health issues.
SteelFisher said in a Harvard news release, “Though employers may think they know their employees’ needs, poll results suggest there are widespread and frequently hidden challenges facing workers with chronic conditions.”
Experts emphasise that employers need to have more conversations with their employees about ways that they can make work “work” for everyone.
