title: Multiple Sclerosis impact on employment and income in New Zealand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the demographic, social and clinical characteristics associated with employment status and income for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in New Zealand (NZ).
  
  
  METHODS
  The NZ National MS Prevalence study included all persons resident in NZ on census day 2006 diagnosed with MS (96.7% coverage). Factors associated with employment and income status among the working age population (25-64 years) were identified by linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over 90% of working age people with MS (n=1727) had a work history, but 54% were not working. Work loss occurred early in the disease course, and at low disability (P<.001). Advancing age, progressive disease, longer disease duration, higher disability levels, partner loss and lower education were associated with work loss (P<.001). Working age people with MS had lower income than the NZ population (P<.0001). Higher qualifications yielded no additional income for MS females and about half the additional income for MS males (P<.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MS profoundly reduces employment and income early in the disease course, and at low levels of disability, however, unemployment is not entirely accounted for by clinical, social and demographic factors. These findings suggest social supports should be explored early in the disease course to reduce loss of income and unemployment for people with MS.
authors.affiliation: University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: J F
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5607-4517
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.affiliation: University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.|New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alla
authors.affiliation: New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.|New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand.|Neurology Department, Christchurch Public Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.|New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand.|Neurology Department, Christchurch Public Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.affiliation: New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand.|Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand.|School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Sabel
authors.affiliation: University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Abernethy
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Willoughby
authors.affiliation: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009520:New Zealand
keywords: New Zealand; education; employment; income; multiple sclerosis; prevalence