Work Productivity Influenced by Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients’ work productivity is affected by demographic, clinical, and work-related factors, according to research published online in Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology.

Researchers from the University of Toronto recruited patients and homemakers who attended a single Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic session to complete a Questionnaire for the Assessment of Work-Related Factors (QAWRF). Those who were eligible then completed a work productivity assessment called the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ), which was used as the dependent variable in the study’s linear and logistic regression analyses. The investigators also examined independent variables such as work characteristics, demographic facts, and clinical measures.

The researchers received 186 questionnaires from patients for analysis. According to the authors, the participants’ average disease duration was 14.2 years, and their work productivity was reduced by 4.3% due to illness, which was associated with sex, education status, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), active joint count (AJC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Functional Co-morbidity Index (FCI) and support at work. In a reduced multivariate model, associations among gender, ESR, FCI, and medications were also significant.

The researchers noted that high rates of absenteeism is associated with PsA patients who work, and the goal of their study was to investigate the impact of the disease for those who do not take time off.

“Work productivity was associated with demographic, clinical, and work-related factors in PsA,” the authors concluded. “These variables may be useful in identifying patients who require more aggressive intervention, including the use of effective drugs to control disease activity and advocacy for a more supportive work environment.”