A Retrospective Analysis of Disability and Its Related Costs Among Employees With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the frequency and cost of disability among actively employed individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of disability and claims data. Employees 40 to 63 years old with a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of occupational and environmental medicine 2007-01, Vol.49 (1), p.22-30
Main Authors: Darkow, Theodore, Kadlubek, Pamela J., Shah, Hemal, Phillips, Amy L., Marton, Jenő P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma
Cohort Studies
Comorbidity
Disability Evaluation
Disabled Persons - statistics & numerical data
Employment - economics
Female
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Pneumology
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - economics
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
United States
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Summary:Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the frequency and cost of disability among actively employed individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of disability and claims data. Employees 40 to 63 years old with a diagnosis of COPD between January 1, 2001, and March 31, 2004, were identified, and controls were matched 2:1 to these subjects. Likelihood and cost of disability were compared between cohorts. Results: A total of 2696 controls were matched to 1349 COPD subjects. Mean age was 52 years, and cohorts were approximately 50% male. A significantly (P < 0.0001) greater proportion of COPD subjects used short-term (21.8% vs 7.0%), long-term (2.4% vs 0.4%), or any disability (22.8% vs 7.3%). Associated costs were also higher among COPD subjects ($8559 vs $5443; P = 0.07). Conclusions: Within a population of actively employed individuals 40 to 63 years old, COPD was found to have a substantial impact on the frequency and cost of disability.
ISSN:1076-2752
1536-5948
DOI:10.1097/JOM.0b013e31802db55f