Association between Lifetime Classic Psychedelic Use and Sick Leave in a Population-Based Sample

Christin Mellner (), Micael Dahlen and Otto Simonsson
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Christin Mellner: Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, 114 19 Stockholm, Sweden
Micael Dahlen: Stockholm School of Economics, 114 19 Stockholm, Sweden
Otto Simonsson: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-9

Abstract: Objectives: Absenteeism from work due to illness, and related costs, has increased steadily during the past decades. In recent years, there has been a reemergence of research on the therapeutic effects of classic psychedelics showing associations with both physical and mental health. However, the association between classic psychedelics and sick leave remains unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between lifetime classic psychedelic use and sick leave in the past 30 days among adults in the United States ( N = 407,717), using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2005–2019), weighted to be representative of the US adult population. Methods: The primary analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, risky behavior, and use of other substances. Results: There was a significant and negative association between lifetime classic psychedelic use and sick leave in the past 30 days (B = −0.09, p < 0.01) when adjusting for all control variables. Conclusion: These findings suggest that classic psychedelics could potentially lead to reduced sick leave and associated costs in the general population, but more research is needed to investigate potential causal pathways of classic psychedelics on sick leave and evaluate possible mechanisms.

Keywords: health economics; LSD; psilocybin; psychedelics; public health; sickness absence; sickness absenteeism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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