Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent chronic condition worldwide and has a substantial impact on workers' quality of life and productivity. Its consequences extend beyond clinical manifestations and reach broader social and economic dimensions. Additionally, the workplace can function as a risk factor for the development or worsening of the disease. The aim was to examine the impacts of diabetes mellitus in occupational settings and identify the main work-related factors associated with its occurrence and productivity outcomes. This integrative review was conducted through searches in the Virtual Health Library and PubMed using Portuguese and English descriptors related to diabetes, occupational health, risk factors, and workplace medicine. Studies published in English or Portuguese and relevant grey literature were included. The findings were organized into two thematic categories: economic impact and occupational factors associated with diabetes. Diabetes mellitus was associated with substantial productivity losses, increased absenteeism, presenteeism, and early retirement. Occupational factors such as shift work, long working hours, chronic stress, low job control, and effort-reward imbalance were identified as determinants of type 2 diabetes. A scarcity of studies addressing how workplace conditions influence the management of type 1 diabetes was observed. It was concluded that diabetes mellitus should be recognized as a significant occupational health concern. Implementing workplace health policies, organizational interventions, and health-promotion programs may contribute to disease prevention and to preserving workers' functional capacity.