Work-related lost productivity and its economic impact on Canadian patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.
BACKGROUND
Psoriasis impacts many different areas of a patient's life, including work productivity. There is no information regarding lost productivity owing to psoriasis in a Canadian population.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine the lost productivity of Canadian patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.


METHODS
Seventy-nine consecutive Canadian dermatology patients were interviewed and completed the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAIQ).


RESULTS
On average, 2.2 hours (+/- 5.6 hours) were lost from work per week owing to psoriasis-related events. Absence from work may result in lost mean patient wages of C$2,270.84 per person per year. Total lost wages owing to moderate to severe psoriasis may cost up to approximately $749 million for all moderate to severe psoriasis patients in Canada.


CONCLUSIONS
The results from our study indicate that moderate to severe psoriasis may have a substantial impact on the work productivity of patients with this disease.
Chan
Brian
B
Health Outcomes and PharmacoEconomics (HOPE) Research Centre, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada.
Hales
Brigette
B
Shear
Neil
N
Ho
Vincent
V
Lynde
Charles
C
Poulin
Yves
Y
Mittmann
Nicole
N
D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004526:Efficiency; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000191:economics*; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult