Understanding Occupation, Sick Leave, and Disability Pension Due to Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis From a Sex Perspective

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association between occupation and risk for sick leave or disability pension due to knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA) from a gender perspective.Methods: Population-based study including residents aged 40-70 years in the Skåne region, Sweden (2007) and working in the included job sectors (n=165 179). We retrieved data on causespecific sick leave and disability pension (2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012) and linked to individual information on occupation and education (2007). Occupations were classified into job sectors. We calculated gender-specific, age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of sick leave and disability pension due to OA in traditionally female-dominated job sectors (health care, child care, cleaning) and traditionally male-dominated job sectors (construction, farming, metal work or transportation) compared to business and administration.Results: Of all eligible subjects, 2445 had sick leave or disability pension due to knee or hip OA.Adjusted for age, the risk of sick leave due to knee OA was increased for women working in health care OR 3.3 (95% CI 2.6-4.2), child care OR 2.9 (2.2-3.8) and cleaning OR 3.0 (2.2-4.1), as was the risk for disability pension. The risk was increased also for persons working in occupations with higher educational requirements. The risk was similarly increased in maledominated sectors. In female-dominated job sectors the risk of sick leave and disability pension due to knee OA, but not hip OA, was higher than that for other musculoskeletal diseases. Conclusion:Traditionally female-dominated occupational sectors are associated with an increased risk of sick leave and disability pension due to knee OA.• Women working in health care, child care and cleaning have an increased risk of sick leave and disability pension due to knee OA compared to women in business and administration. The risk was increased also in occupations with higher educational requirements, e.g., nursing, midwifery, and pre-school teaching professionals.• For women in health care and child care the risk for sick leave and disability pension due to knee OA remained increased also when comparing with the risk of sick leave for other musculoskeletal diseases.• We found no statistically significant association between work in health care, child care and cleaning and sick leave due to hip OA, but we did find an association with disability pension.• There is a need to gain further knowledge on occupational exposures in femaledominated job sectors and its relation with OA pathogenesis.

Occupation, Physical Workload Factors, and Disability Retirement as a Result of Hip Osteoarthritis in Finland, 2005–2013

“…We estimated the risk of disability retirement across 19 occupational groups (including all nonmanual and manual occupations held by Finns in 2005). Our results on excessive risk of disability retirement among female service workers, as well as building caretakers, cleaners, assistant nurses, and kitchen workers, and male agricultural and fishery workers are in line with the findings by Hubertsson, et al 19 . However, in contrast to their findings, we also observed an excess risk of disability retirement among male construction workers, electricians, and plumbers, and metal and machinery workers, as well as professional drivers.…”

“…To our knowledge, only 1 study 19 examined the occupational differences in disability retirement, though in a limited set of occupations. We estimated the risk of disability retirement across 19 occupational groups (including all nonmanual and manual occupations held by Finns in 2005).…”

“…Knowledge of occupational differences in disability retirement as a result of hip OA is scarce. A recent study observed a particularly high risk of disability retirement among women working in the healthcare sector and men in farming 19 . The sex differences in work disability because of OA, which vary by age and socioeconomic status, are acknowledged by previous research 22,23 .…”

“…Although the contribution of occupation on the development of hip OA might be modest, the effect of the disease on the capacity to work is an increasing concern, owing to population aging. Hip OA was found to be associated with reduced work participation, loss of productivity 5,6,16,17 , and withdrawal from the labor force because of disability retirement as well as premature age-based retirement 18,19 .…”

Socioeconomic status of patients in a Swedish national self-management program for osteoarthritis compared with the general population—a descriptive observational study

“…Nine indicators of SES were used to describe the BOA population and compare it with the general Swedish population: 1) residential municipality, 2) country of birth, 3) marital status, 4) family type, 5) educational level, 6) employment, 7) occupation, 8) disposable income and 9) sick leave. These indicators were chosen because they have been shown previously to be SES factors associated with both disease burden and long-term outcome in OA [12,25,26,35]. All indicators are described in detail in the additional file, including the source of the data and a description of the analyzed population (see Additional file 1).…”