Abstract
ObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on career, productivity, and employability. MethodsA retrospective cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2012–2013 in France among patients with RA who were younger than 60 years of age and employed or unemployed. Patients were either recruited during a rheumatologist visit or among members of a nationwide patient-support organization (ANDAR). They completed a questionnaire on the functional impact of RA evaluated by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and on the impact of their disease on work ability. ResultsOf 488 surveyed patients, 364 (74.6%) were actively employed, 31 (6.4%) were job seekers, and 93 (19.1%) had left the workforce. In the employed group, mean age was 48.9 years; 82.1% of patients were women; mean RA duration was 11.6 years; and the HAQ score correlated strongly with various markers for decreased productivity including sick leaves, temporary or permanent work discontinuation, and having unwillingly downgraded from a full-time to a part-time work schedule or changed to a different job. Among job seekers, 54% had lost their previous job because of their RA. ConclusionRA is associated with various forms of work disability, which are directly related to the severity of disease-related functional impairments.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
