Common Prognostic Factors of Work Disability among Employees with a Chronic Somatic Disease: A Systematic Review of Cohort Studies

• Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Environment ＆ Health, 2009-07, Vol.35 (4), p.261-281
• Main Authors: Detaille, Sarah I, Heerkens, Yvonne F, Engels, Josephine A, van der Gulden, Joost WJ, van Dijk, Frank JH
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Asthma; Autoimmune diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular diseases; Chronic Disease - epidemiology; Chronic diseases; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Cohort Studies; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Disabilities; Disabled Persons; Female; Health outcomes; Humans; Joint diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Motor Activity; Myocardial ischemia; Netherlands - epidemiology; Occupational Diseases - epidemiology; Occupational Health; Occupational medicine; Prognosis; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Review; Rheumatoid arthritis; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Self Care; Sex Factors; Somatoform Disorders - epidemiology; Systematic review; Workplace
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.1337

Objective Based on prospective and retrospective disease cohort studies, the aim of this review was to determine common prognostic factors for work disability among employees with rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and ischemie heart disease (IHD). Methods A systematic literature search in Mediine (1990-2008) and Embase (1990-2008) was carried out to identify relevant cohort studies using a well-defined list of inclusion and quality criteria. Results We identified 43 relevant cohort studies with sufficient methodological quality (20 for rheumatoid arthritis, 3 for asthma and 20 for IHD). The common prognostic factors for work disability found in all the diseases were: perceived health complaints, limitation in daily physical activities caused by the disease (high versus low), heavy manual work, and female gender. The common positive prognostic factors for rheumatoid arthritis and IHD were age (high versus low) and sickness absence. The common negative factors for rheumatoid arthritis and IHD were education (high versus low) and ethnic origin (white versus non-white). Conclusions As many prognostic factors for work disability are similar for employees with various chronic diseases, it is possible to detect high risk groups. This information supports the development and implementation of a general disability management intervention for employees suffering from a chronic disease to overcome health-related limitations at work.