Factors Influencing Return to Work after Aortocoronary Bypass Surgery

Abstract

Factors influencing the effect on employment status were investigated in 250 patients (males: females 224:26) who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery between March 1983 and November 1985. The median age at operation was 57.9 (range 36.6-69.4) years and the median follow-up time 32 (19-52) months. Preoperatively 149 patients (59.6%) were receiving sick pay or disability pension because of their heart disease. Only 64 (25.6%) were gainfully employed, in contrast to 97 (38.8%) at follow-up. Of those who were working at the time of operation, all but eight returned to work postoperatively. At follow-up 183 (80.3%) were free from symptoms or much improved, with degree of improvement somewhat greater in those who were working postoperatively. The period of sick leave and the preoperative waiting time were significantly shorter for patients who were working postoperatively than for those who were awarded disability pension. Age, previous myocardial infarction, duration of preoperative angina and type of work were also found to influence postoperative employment status.

Return to Work After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in a Population of Long-Term Survivors

“…The proportion of patients counted as 'working' prior to surgery is related to the length of the waiting list, and the longer patients spend on a waiting list the less is their likelihood of returning to work. 23,24 In our study older age, employment in manual occupations based on physical exertion, and female sex predicted a likelihood of a reduction in employment status after CABG surgery. These findings are common to studies of patients after revascularisation procedures, and there are indications that socio-demographic and other nonclinical factors are important in decisions about employment.…”

Common prognostic factors of work disability among employees with a chronic somatic disease: a systematic review of cohort studies

“…Four articles have shown a positive relation between work disability and heavy manual work/blue-collar work (19,33,34,47), while six articles found no relation between the type of occupation and work disability (27,31,45,49,50,53). Living in a rural versus urban area was identified in the literature as another moderate positive factor for work disability (27,33,52); the attendance of a cardiac rehabilitation program was found to be a moderate negative factor (50,58). Support from friends (yes versus no) and health insurance were shown to be weak negative prognostic factors for work disability (19, 45, 50, and 31, 58, respectively).…”

“…For employees with IHD, sickness absence before operation has been found to be a strong positive prognostic factor of work disability: five articles found a positive relation with work disability (19,(27)(28)(29)53) and one article found no relation (49). The patient's view on the limitations caused by the disease at work (strong versus light) has been found to be another strong positive prognostic factor for work disability in employees with IHD: two articles found a positive relation with work disability (47,56), and one article found no relation (49).…”

“…There were also variations in the definition of return-to-work employees with IHD. Some authors (27,28) used the definition of return to work as working (full-time) after coronary bypass surgery, while others (29,30) defined it as the resumption of a former job or starting a new job, on a full-or part-time basis.…”

Return to work after an acute cardiac event: the role of psychosocial factors

“…A lot of studies showed that RTW after cardiac interventions is strongly influenced by patients' occupational status. Specifically, belonging to a high socio-professional category favors a successful RTW, while working as a blue-collar or a manual worker is considered as a risk factor for not RTW (14,15,17,22,25,29,33,35,40,42) or for a delayed RTW (4). The physical activity associated with work is another factor associated with RTW after cardiac interventions (4,18,35).…”