Determining the Effects of Arthritis on Work Productivity

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate potential productivity differences among working-age individuals with arthritis in the United States, and to determine the costs associated with these differences. Methods: Health risk assessment survey data was obtained through the You First internet survey group. Five hundred seventy-nine individuals with and 579 without arthritis, matched for age, were evaluated for differences in survey responses. The arthritis group was also evaluated to determine the association of pain severity level and activity limitations with work days missed. Results: Arthritis respondents were found to have significantly more work days missed, emergency room visits, hospital visits, and physician visits than respondents without arthritis. Arthritis respondents missed 6.14 more work days in the 12 months before taking the survey than non-arthritis respondents, costing US $12.9 billion in the United States each year. Arthritis respondents were significantly more limited in their activities than non-arthritis respondents. Arthritis pain and activity limitation were found to be positively correlated with work days missed. Implications: The data from this study demonstrate that work productivity is impaired in individuals with arthritis, pain and physical activity limitations are positively correlated with missed work days, and missed work days constitute a substantial annual cost to employers. Given the evidence of costly productivity impairment in arthritis patients vs. a general population, lost productivity should be included with direct medical costs in studies determining the burden of arthritis in the United States, especially from the employer’s perspective.