Liisa Ukkola-Vuoti, Antti Karlsson, Samuli Tuominen, Mariann I Lassenius, Jaakko Aaltonen, Martta Ranta, Mikko Kosunen, Mari Renlund, Anne Lehtonen, Kari Puolakka
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives: Patients with idiopathic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IIRD) often have decreased working capacity resulting in indirect costs. However, data on patients' short-term sick leave has been limited. This retrospective cohort study evaluated the number and length of sick leave, including short-term leave, and occupational healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) of the working-aged patients with IIRD compared to controls.
Methods: The data on sick leave and occupational HCRU were gathered from the electronic medical records of the largest occupational healthcare provider in Finland from January 2012 to December 2019. Employed patients with an IIRD (including rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, psoriatic and enteropathic arthritis, juvenile arthritis, and reactive arthritis) with at least a 12-months follow-up were identified and compared to age-, sex-, and follow-up matched controls without IIRD.
Results: Altogether 5405 patients with IIRD were identified and compared with an equal number of controls. The patients incurred approximately 2.5 times more sick leave than controls: 21.7 versus 8.5 days per patient year, respectively. Short-term sick leave was common: 83% of sickness absence periods of the patients lasted 1-9 days and represented 30% of the total absenteeism. Loss of productivity due to lost workdays was on average €4572 (95% confidence interval €4352-4804) per patient year. Occupational HCRU was approximately 1.8 times higher among IIRD patients than controls.
Conclusions: Workers with an IIRD incur considerably more sick leave and use more occupational healthcare services than controls. Short sick leave not registered in national insurance registers constitute a significant portion of days off work among patients with IIRD.
期刊介绍:
The aim of the Journal is to promote research in the fields of occupational and environmental health and safety and to increase knowledge through the publication of original research articles, systematic reviews, and other information of high interest. Areas of interest include occupational and environmental epidemiology, occupational and environmental medicine, psychosocial factors at work, physical work load, physical activity work-related mental and musculoskeletal problems, aging, work ability and return to work, working hours and health, occupational hygiene and toxicology, work safety and injury epidemiology as well as occupational health services. In addition to observational studies, quasi-experimental and intervention studies are welcome as well as methodological papers, occupational cohort profiles, and studies associated with economic evaluation. The Journal also publishes short communications, case reports, commentaries, discussion papers, clinical questions, consensus reports, meeting reports, other reports, book reviews, news, and announcements (jobs, courses, events etc).