title: The effects of rheumatoid arthritis on labor force participation, work performance, and healthcare costs in two workplace samples.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the workplace costs of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from the employer perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples included 4485 manufacturing firm (MF) employees (109 with RA) and 915 commercially insured (CO) subscribers (333 with RA). Respondents completed the Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (HPQ) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). The effects of RA were estimated using regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RA was associated with increased probability of no longer working (CO), increased effort to maintain work performance (CO), increased sickness absence (MF), and increased non-RA pharmacy costs (CO). RA was not associated with hours worked or hourly wage. Indirect costs of RA did not exceed direct medical costs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Indirect costs of RA to employers are significant and warrant further research to increase our understanding of the contribution of different RA treatment interventions to optimizing workforce productivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care Policy, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Boston, MA, USA. kessler@hcp.med.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: J Ross
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Maclean
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petukhova
authors.forename: Chaitanya A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sarawate
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Short
authors.forename: Tracy T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Stang
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000191:economics*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004526:Efficiency; D017049:Employer Health Costs; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged