Stroke survivors' long-term participation in paid employment.

Abstract

Knowledge on long-term participation is scarce for patients with paid employment at the time of stroke. Describe the characteristics and the course of participation (paid employment and overall participation) in patients who did and did not remain in paid employment. Patients with paid employment at the time of stroke completed questions on work up to 30 months after starting rehabilitation, and the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation (USER-P, Frequency, Restrictions and Satisfaction scales) up to 24 months. Baseline characteristics of patients with and without paid employment at 30 months were compared using Fisher's Exact Tests and Mann-Whitney U Tests. USER-P scores over time were analysed using Linear Mixed Models. Of the 170 included patients (median age 54.2 interquartile range 11.2 years; 40% women) 50.6% reported paid employment at 30 months. Those returning to work reported at baseline more working hours, better quality of life and communication, were more often self-employed and in an office job. The USER-P scores did not change statistically significantly over time. About half of the stroke patients remained in paid employment. Optimizing interventions for returning to work and achieving meaningful participation outside of employment seem desirable.