Reducing work disability associated with rheumatoid arthritis: Identification of additional risk factors and persons likely to benefit from intervention

Abstract

Objective. To study additional risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis @A)-related work disability and to identify the groups of individuals at high risk and thepotentially modifiable factors which place them at risk. Methods. A cross-sectional mail survey was conducted among 469 adults with RA. Work disability was defined as unemployment due to RA. A broad range of explanatory factors was examined, including sociodemographic, health, work, support given by others, and commuting difficulty. Employed and workdisabled subjects were compared by t-test and chisquare. Attributable fractions were calculated to assess the predictive value of factors. A recursive partitioning procedure identified individuals at vay'ng risks for work disability, and their characteristics were defined. Results. The risk factors joint pain and functional status, commuting difficulty, physical demands of the job, and disease duration were important predictors of work disability in both the attributable fraction and recursive partitioning analytic models. Having a professional or administrative job was protective, provided the salary earned was not low. Younger individuals with RA of shorter duration were placed at high risk by potentially modifiable factors. While older persons with RA of long duration were at high risk, modifiable factors could not be identified. Conclusion. Commuting difficulty, a previously overlooked factor, is an important predictor of RA work disability. Younger individuals with RA of relatively short duration can be placed at high risk by potentially modifiable factors including commuting difficulty, physically demanding jobs, greater joint pain and poor functional status, and nonprofessional/nonadministrative jobs.

Longitudinal study of negative workplace events among employed rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls

“…For example, we also found that work autonomy, functional status, pain, and social support were linked to outcomes (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)11,13). However, unlike other studies, we did not find that depressive symptoms were associated with work outcomes (12), possibly because the prevalence of depressive symptoms in our samples was low.…”

Effects of dynamic strength training on physical function, Valpar 9 work sample test, and working capacity in patients with recent‐onset rheumatoid arthritis

“…A job with fewer physical requirements and a higher degree of worker autonomy allows a person with arthritis to remain gainfully employed. In addition to limitations in paid work, RA may lead to limitations to satisfy one's personal needs as well as pursuits at home (17).…”

Work Status and Related Variables in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis

“…[1,3,11,28] Some authors suggested very low work disability rates of up to 13-22% in their group of RA patients. [1,[29][30][31] The differences in work disability rates between our study group and previous studies seem consistent with the results of a recent study of patients with AS in which considerable differences in work status were observed among different European countries. [12,28] The influence of physical function, clinical status measures and socioeconomic conditions on employment in rheumatic diseases may differ according to differences in sociocultural characteristics of each country.…”