According to a study from the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI), about a third of the workforce uses prescription pain medications, most under the treatment of a physician. “Opioids, Pain and Absence” The Productivity Implications of Substance Use Among U.S. Workers” is their analysis on workplace costs related to problematic use of pain relievers.

One in three workers reported using pain relievers, most as prescribed. Use of prescription pain medication is associated with 261 lost workdays per 1,000 workers a month. Non-problematic users took more than twice the number of sick days than non-users, and problematic users took more than three times the number of sick days. In a 20-day work month, the use of pain relievers was associated with a loss of 1.3% of the monthly labor capacity of 1,000 workers, and the non-problematic use of pain relievers accounts for almost all those losses (96%).

Males and those identified as “millennials” were most impacted by substance use disorders. Less than one in 20 workers reported abuse or dependency on pain relievers, and abuse or dependence on alcohol was reported at a higher rate than a dependency on pain relievers. Use of drugs like heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine was relatively uncommon.

The researchers looked at lost work time that was associated with the use of prescription pain medications, using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health for 2015, 2016 and 2017.

“The significant number of sick day absences by employees who use pain relievers without problems likely doesn’t represent the full impact. As most people abusing opioids started with prescription medications, this is a very large number of people at risk for developing problematic behaviors associated with pain relievers,” said IBI Researcher Erin Peterson, MPH, an author of the report.

Employer who want to help their employees from moving to potentially problematic use of medications can take certain steps. Employers could use confidential health risk assessments to identify if their employees are at risk of developing dependence and could work with their health plan to track pharmacy trends. Employees with a sense of the risks are in a good position to then raise awareness with education and training to prevent substance abuse issues in the workplace.

Read more from the Integrated Benefits Institute.