State of the Evidence on Health as a Determinant of Productivity

Andrew Sharpe () and Alexander Murray ()

No 2011-04, CSLS Research Reports from Centre for the Study of Living Standards

Abstract: Canada's labour productivity performance has been abysmal since 2000, both relative to our historical experience and to that in the United States. In theory, a deterioration of the health status of Canadian workers could explain slower productivity growth. However, the evidence does not support this hypothesis. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that illness and disability impose a massive indirect economic burden on the Canadian economy because many persons of working age are unable to work. Canada's potential level of "social productivity" is lower because of this situation. This is an output shortfall issue, not a conventional productivity issue, and it is important not to confuse the two.

Keywords: labour productivity; health status; absenteeism; presenteeism; Canada (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eff and nep-hea
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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