Impaired Quality of Working Life in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences 2021-09, Vol.66 (9), p.2916-2924
• Main Authors: van Gennep, Sara, de Boer, Nanne K. H., Gielen, Marieke E., Rietdijk, Svend T., Gecse, Krisztina B., Ponsioen, Cyriel Y., Duijvestein, Marjolijn, D’Haens, Geert R., Löwenberg, Mark, de Boer, Angela G. E. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Biochemistry; Colitis, Ulcerative - epidemiology; Colitis, Ulcerative - physiopathology; Colitis, Ulcerative - psychology; Crohn Disease - epidemiology; Crohn Disease - physiopathology; Crohn Disease - psychology; Disability Evaluation; Efficiency; Employee Performance Appraisal - methods; Employee Performance Appraisal - statistics & numerical data; Fatigue; Fatigue - etiology; Fatigue - physiopathology; Female; Gastroenterology; Hepatology; Humans; Inflammatory bowel disease; Male; Medical care; Medical research; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Medicine, Experimental; Middle Aged; Netherlands - epidemiology; Oncology; Original; Original Article; Patient Acuity; Quality management; Quality of Life; Questionnaires; Severity of Illness Index; Sickness Impact Profile; Surveys and Questionnaires; Transplant Surgery; Ulcerative colitis
• ISSN: 0163-2116; 1573-2568
• DOI: 10.1007/s10620-020-06647-y

Background Work-related aspects are important determinants of health for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Aims We aimed to describe quality of working life (QWL) in IBD patients and to assess variables that are associated with QWL. Methods Employed IBD patients of two tertiary and two secondary referral hospitals were included. QWL (range 0–100) was measured using the Quality of Working Life Questionnaire (QWLQ). Work productivity (WP), fatigue, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) were assessed using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, and Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire, respectively. Active disease was defined as a score > 4 for the patient-reported Harvey–Bradshaw index in Crohn’s disease (CD) or Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index in ulcerative colitis patients. Results In total, 510 IBD patients were included (59% female, 53% CD, mean age 43 (SD 12) years). The mean QWLQ score was 78 (SD 11). The lowest subscore (54 (SD 26)) was observed for “problems due to the health situation”: 63% reported fatigue-related problems at work, 48% agreed being hampered at work, 46% had limited confidence in their body, and 48% felt insecure about the future due to their health situation. Intermediate/strong associations were found between QWL and fatigue ( r  = − 0.543, p