title: Impact of chronic diseases on work ability in ageing firefighters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to study the impact of chronic diseases on work ability in different age groups of Dutch firefighters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Firefighters filled out a questionnaire about the presence of nine types of chronic diseases and rated their current work ability (0 unable to 10 best ever). The differences in work ability in firefighters in total and in four age groups with and without chronic diseases were calculated with a Fisher's exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 276 firefighters 23% reported having a chronic disease, with the rate varying among the age groups between 18 and 41%. Median work ability was 8, varying between 7 and 8 in the age groups. No significant difference was found in work ability for firefighters with and without chronic diseases, independent of the age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Having a chronic disease is not associated with a significantly lower self-reported work ability estimate in firefighters.
authors.affiliation: Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, The Netherlands. m.j.plat@amc.nl
authors.forename: Marie-Christine J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Plat
authors.forename: Monique H W
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Frings-Dresen
authors.forename: Judith K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sluiter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult