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Patients with Spondyloarthritis Experienced Limitations in Their Careers
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Patients with spondyloarthritis reported difficulties in carrying out their jobs, with half reporting disability and one-third experiencing important limitations in their career perspectives, according to results.
Researchers from Italy published a multiple-choice questionnaire on the National Association of Rheumatic Patients website and distributed printed copies of the questionnaire at outpatient clinics for rheumatic patients between January 2013 and March 2013. Overall, 770 patients (56% men) with spondyloarthritis took part in the survey. The most common types of disease reported were ankylosing spondylitis in 39% of patients and psoriatic arthritis in 36%.
Results showed 45% of patients were working full-time, 8% part-time, 22% had retired and 15% were unemployed, with reasons linked to spondyloarthritis in 4%. Researchers noted 49% of patients reported they were disabled.
Roberta Ramonda
According to results, important limitations that hindered professional development or careers occurred in 36% of patients, with one in five patients reporting either changing or leaving their job and 21% reporting losing their jobs due to spondyloarthritis. Results showed 20% of patients with uncontrolled symptoms believed their disease had a negative effect on their salary vs. 12% of patients with controlled symptoms. Researchers noted 49.7% of patients who were employed had worked an average of 32.2 hours in the last 7 days and approximately 60% had worked full-time.
Spondyloarthritis caused more hours of absence than for other reasons, such as vacation or family commitments and amounted to 59% of the hours of absence from the work place and 7% of weekly working hours, results showed. Researchers found time loss cost 216 euros per week for patients reporting permanent impairment and 106 euros for patients who reported well-being or an improvement in their physical condition. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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