title: The personal and national costs of lost labour force participation due to arthritis: an economic study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The costs of arthritis to the individuals and the state are considerable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analysis of the base population of Health&WealthMOD, a microsimulation model of 45 to 64 year old Australians built on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers and STINMOD, an income and savings microsimulation model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals aged 45 to 64 years who had retired early due to arthritis had a median value of AU$260 in total weekly income whereas those who were employed full time were likely to average more than five times this. The large national aggregate impact of early retirement due to arthritis includes AU$9.4 billion in lost GDP, attributable to arthritis through its impact on labour force participation.When looking at the ongoing impact of being out of the labour force those who retired from the labour force early due to arthritis were estimated to have a median value of total savings by the time they are 65 of as little as $300 (for males aged 45-54). This is far lower than the median value of savings for those males aged 45-54 who remained in the labour force full time, who would have an estimated $339,100 of savings at age 65.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The costs of arthritis to the individuals and the state are considerable. The impacts on the state include loss of productivity from reduced workforce participation, lost income taxation revenue, and increased government support payments - in addition to direct health care costs. Individuals bear the economic costs of lost income and the reduction of their savings over the long term.
authors: NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Deborah J
authors: DJ
authors: Schofield
authors: Rupendra N
authors: RN
authors: Shrestha
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Percival
authors: Megan E
authors: ME
authors: Passey
authors: Emily J
authors: EJ
authors: Callander
authors: Simon J
authors: SJ
authors: Kelly
mesh_terms: D001168:Arthritis / Q000191:economics*; D001315:Australia; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged