Chronic health conditions are taking a major, hidden toll on the U.S. workforce's lives and productivity, according to a new national poll by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the de Beaumont Foundation.
The poll, conducted among a national sample of U.S. employees, found that three-fourths (76%) of those with chronic conditions—such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma—need to manage their conditions during work hours. Yet a majority (60%) have not formally disclosed their conditions to their employer.
The poll, "U.S. Employee Perspectives on Managing Chronic Conditions in the Workplace," was conducted October 2–16, 2024, among a probability-based, nationally representative sample of the U.S. workforce, composed of 1,010 part-time and full-time working adults ages 18+ who are not self-employed and work at organizations with 50 or more employees.
The poll found that more than half of employees in the U.S. (58%) report having chronic physical health conditions, with many structuring their health care to account for their jobs or going without.
