title: Work-related discussions between French rheumatologists and their rheumatoid arthritis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes significant impairment of physical function, and thus adversely affects patients' ability to work.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To document how often work limitations are discussed by rheumatologists and RA patients during consultations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted an observational study in a sample of French rheumatologists and in a parallel sample of patients recruited by pharmacists. We asked all rheumatologists in France practising in private practice or mixed practice (private practice and hospital) to participate in a telephone survey about their most recent consultation with an RA patient. Randomly selected pharmacists recruited RA patients to complete a questionnaire about their most recent consultation with their rheumatologist. We included patients aged 20-59, with a paid job or unemployed. We calculated the proportion of consultations including work-related discussions in both samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1737 rheumatologists contacted, 153 (9%) described consultations with eligible patients. Of the 1200 pharmacists contacted, 39 (3%) recruited 81 RA patients. The proportion of consultations including work-related discussions was 50% [95% confidence interval (CI) 42-58%] in the rheumatologist sample and 52% (95% CI 41-63%) in the patient sample. The most frequent subject of discussion (88%) was physical problems related to work in both samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to document the proportion of consultations where rheumatologists and their RA patients discuss work. Both specialists and patients reported that work was discussed in one in every two consultations.
authors.affiliation: Mapi Patient-Centered Outcomes, 27 rue de la Villette, 69003 Lyon, France, jmeunier@mapigroup.com.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meunier
authors.affiliation: Université Pierre et Marie Curie, GRC 08, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et Santé publique, AP-HP, Service de Rhumatologie, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75651 Paris Cedex 13, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fautrel
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ergonomie et d'Epidémiologie en Santé au Travail (LEEST) - Unité associée à l'Institut de veille sanitaire UPRES EA 4336, Université d'Angers, Faculté de Médecine Service de Médecine E, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 4 rue Larrey, 49933 Angers Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Roquelaure
authors.affiliation: Groupe Henri-Mondor Albert Chenevier, Service de Rhumatologie, AP-HP, Creteil 94010, France, Université Paris Est Créteil, LIC EA4393, Creteil 94010, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Claudepierre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications; D003142:Communication; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D000072140:Rheumatologists; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014937:Work; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Incapacity for work; musculoskeletal; work environment.