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Sick Leave Before and After Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis - A Report from the Swedish TIRA Project

Bjork, Mathilda ; Thyberg, Ingrid ; Rikner, Klas ; Balogh, Istvan LU and Gerdle, Bjorn (2009) In Journal of Rheumatology 36(6). p.1170-1179
Abstract
Objective. Our study describes sick leave during 3 years before and 3 years after diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in relation to referents and identifies predictors for sick leave during the third year after diagnosis of RA. Methods. One hundred twenty patients (76% women) from the Swedish early RA study TIRA were included. Disease activity and disability were registered regularly during 3 years in TIRA. Referents were matched for sex, age, and home town. Sick leave data were obtained for patients 3 years before and 3 years after diagnosis and for the referents for the corresponding 6 years. Results. No differences were seen between patients and referents regarding sick leave during the first 2 years, whereas sick leave increased in... (More)
Objective. Our study describes sick leave during 3 years before and 3 years after diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in relation to referents and identifies predictors for sick leave during the third year after diagnosis of RA. Methods. One hundred twenty patients (76% women) from the Swedish early RA study TIRA were included. Disease activity and disability were registered regularly during 3 years in TIRA. Referents were matched for sex, age, and home town. Sick leave data were obtained for patients 3 years before and 3 years after diagnosis and for the referents for the corresponding 6 years. Results. No differences were seen between patients and referents regarding sick leave during the first 2 years, whereas sick leave increased in patients 6 months before diagnosis, from 30% to 53%. During the 3 years after diagnosis, sick leave among patients was rather stable, varying between 50% and 60%, even though disability pension increased and sickness benefit decreased. Sick leave before diagnosis, disability I year after diagnosis, and type of work were identified as predictors for sick leave during the third year after diagnosis. Conclusion. Not surprisingly, sick leave in patients increased the year before diagnosis. Although disease activity and disability diminished after diagnosis, the patients' sick leave remained essentially unchanged. Sick leave 3 years after diagnosis was foremost predicted by earlier sick leave, disability, and type of work. (First Release May 1 2009; J Rheumatol 2009:36:1170-9; doi:10.3899/jrheum.080523) (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
SICK LEAVE, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, CASE-CONTROL STUDY, RISK FACTORS
in
Journal of Rheumatology
volume
36
issue
6
pages
1170 - 1179
publisher
Journal of Rheumatology Publishing Company Limited
external identifiers
  • wos:000266891500016
  • scopus:67149113909
ISSN
0315-162X
DOI
10.3899/jrheum.080523
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
26e8e907-927d-4574-a876-e7306eab74b4 (old id 1441995)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:46:29
date last changed
2022-04-05 04:50:11
@article{26e8e907-927d-4574-a876-e7306eab74b4,
  abstract     = {{Objective. Our study describes sick leave during 3 years before and 3 years after diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in relation to referents and identifies predictors for sick leave during the third year after diagnosis of RA. Methods. One hundred twenty patients (76% women) from the Swedish early RA study TIRA were included. Disease activity and disability were registered regularly during 3 years in TIRA. Referents were matched for sex, age, and home town. Sick leave data were obtained for patients 3 years before and 3 years after diagnosis and for the referents for the corresponding 6 years. Results. No differences were seen between patients and referents regarding sick leave during the first 2 years, whereas sick leave increased in patients 6 months before diagnosis, from 30% to 53%. During the 3 years after diagnosis, sick leave among patients was rather stable, varying between 50% and 60%, even though disability pension increased and sickness benefit decreased. Sick leave before diagnosis, disability I year after diagnosis, and type of work were identified as predictors for sick leave during the third year after diagnosis. Conclusion. Not surprisingly, sick leave in patients increased the year before diagnosis. Although disease activity and disability diminished after diagnosis, the patients' sick leave remained essentially unchanged. Sick leave 3 years after diagnosis was foremost predicted by earlier sick leave, disability, and type of work. (First Release May 1 2009; J Rheumatol 2009:36:1170-9; doi:10.3899/jrheum.080523)}},
  author       = {{Bjork, Mathilda and Thyberg, Ingrid and Rikner, Klas and Balogh, Istvan and Gerdle, Bjorn}},
  issn         = {{0315-162X}},
  keywords     = {{SICK LEAVE; RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS; CASE-CONTROL STUDY; RISK FACTORS}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1170--1179}},
  publisher    = {{Journal of Rheumatology Publishing Company Limited}},
  series       = {{Journal of Rheumatology}},
  title        = {{Sick Leave Before and After Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis - A Report from the Swedish TIRA Project}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.080523}},
  doi          = {{10.3899/jrheum.080523}},
  volume       = {{36}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}