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. 2015 Jun;57(6):635-42.
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000461.

The Employee Absenteeism Costs of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Evidence From US National Survey Data

Candace Gunnarsson  1 , Jie Chen, John A Rizzo, Joseph A Ladapo, Ahmad Naim, Jennifer H Lofland
Affiliations

The Employee Absenteeism Costs of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Evidence From US National Survey Data

Candace Gunnarsson et al. J Occup Environ Med. 2015 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate indirect costs associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This was a retrospective study using 1996-2006 US Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data. Employed individuals were aged 18 to 65 years. A two-part model estimated the probability of time lost from work and annual number of workdays missed due to illness.

Results: Sixty-seven percent (209/312) of RA individuals missed work versus 58% (52,046/89,734) of those without RA (P = 0.0007). Among individuals who missed work, those with RA missed more workdays annually than those without RA ((Equation is included in full-text article.)= 13.659, 9.879, respectively; P = 0.008). Incremental per capita costs in annual lost workdays between those with and without RA were $596. Estimated national indirect costs of RA-related absenteeism were $252 million annually.

Conclusions: Individuals with RA have higher probabilities of missing work and missing workdays than those without RA.

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