HCP’s Anupam B. Jena, MD, PhD, et al. published the article, “Why Physicians Work When Sick” in the June 2012 online edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine. Based on the concern that physicians and health care personnel who choose to work when ill (known as ‘presenteeism’) may expose patients to their own infectious illnesses, the team of researchers conducted an in-person survey of 150 resident physicians present during the 2010 meeting of the American College of Physicians, Illinois Chapter.  

Bapu and his colleagues found that: “Among residents who chose to work when sick, the most frequently reported reasons were an obligation to colleagues and an obligation to patient care (57% and 56% of all residents, respectively). Few residents stated that they worked when sick because they were afraid other colleagues would think they were “weak” (12%); 8% of all residents reported working when ill because they felt pressured to repay colleagues who would otherwise have to cover their missed clinical responsibilities. Second-year residents were more likely than first-year residents to state that responsibility to patient care prohibited them from taking time off for sickness (60% vs.46%) (P = .21), while female residents were more likely than male residents to place patient care as a reason for presenteeism (65% vs. 49%) (P = .14). Compared with male residents, female residents were more likely to report working when ill because they were afraid of being perceived as weak (18% vs. 7%) (P = .16).” 

To read more about the study, please read the publication or the news article by Reuters.