Work disability in systemic lupus erythematosus is prevalent and associated with socio-demographic and disease related factors.
Our objectives were to examine the prevalence of work disability (WD) and factors associated with job loss in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a large, multi-centered Canadian sample to determine the current prevalence of WD and identify the contribution of disease activity, damage, and co-morbidities with respect to WD in this cohort. Cross-sectional data on WD status from the 1000 Canadian Faces of Lupus database (a multi-center multi-ethnic cohort of SLE patients) along with clinical measures (number of ACR criteria ever, SLICC Damage Index, SLAM, SLEDAI, SF-36 and Charlson Co-morbidity Index scores), demographic features (age, sex, high school education, household income, marital status, disease duration, employment status) and co-morbidities (including self-reported fibromyalgia, arthralgias, depression and fatigue) were used in bivariate and logistic regression analyses. The 1137 SLE patients had a mean age of 50 years (SE 0.75) and mean disease duration was 18 years (SE 0.70); 19.09% were work disabled and 49.78% were employed. Those with WD were more likely than non-WD SLE patients to have: a higher number of ACR criteria for SLE; not completed high school; older age; single marital status; a lower household income; longer disease duration; higher SLICC Damage Index and SLAM scores; lower SF-36 PCS and SF-36 MCS scores; less vigorous activity per week; and fibromyalgia, arthralgias, fatigue and depression (p < 0.05). This contemporary rate of WD is lower than many past reports. Socio-demographic factors, co-morbidities (fibromyalgia and fatigue) and disease related factors were strongly associated with WD. We cannot determine cause and effect as the study was cross-sectional.
Baker
K
K
Meds 2010, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Pope
J
J
Fortin
P
P
Silverman
E
E
Peschken
C
C
D000328:Adult; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors