Anticipated significant work limitation in primary care consulters with osteoarthritis: a prospective cohort study

Wilkie, Ross; Phillipson, Chris; Hay, Elaine M; Pransky, Glenn

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of expected work limitations (EWL) prior to future retirement age in osteoarthritis consulters, and the associated health, sociodemographic and workplace factors. DESIGN: Population-based prospective cohort study. SETTING: General practices in Staffordshire, England. PARTICIPANTS: 297 working adults aged 50-65, who had consulted primary care for osteoarthritis. OUTCOME: EWL was defined using a single question, "Do you think joint pain will limit your ability to work before you reach 69 years old?" RESULTS: 51 (17.2%) indicated that joint pain would not limit their ability to work until 69, 79 (26.6%) indicated EWL and 167 (56.2%) did not know if joint pain would limit work before 69. In bivariate analysis, physical function (OR 0.93; 95% CI 0.91 to 0.96), depression (4.51; 1.81 to 11.3), cognitive symptom (3.84; 1.81 to 8.18), current smoker (2.75; 1.02 to 7.38), age (0.69; 0.58 to 0.82), physically demanding job (3.18; 1.50 to 6.72), no opportunities to retrain (3.01; 1.29 to 7.05) and work dissatisfaction (3.69; 1.43 to 9.49) were associated with EWL. The final multivariate model included physical function and age. CONCLUSIONS: Only one in five osteoarthritis consulters expected that joint pain would not limit their work participation before 69 years of age. Given the expectation for people to work until they are older, the results highlight the increasing need for clinicians to include work participation in their consultation and implement strategies to address work loss/limitation. Targeting pain-related functional limitation and effective communication with employers to manage workplace issues could reduce EWL.

Citation

Wilkie, R., Phillipson, C., Hay, E. M., & Pransky, G. (2014). Anticipated significant work limitation in primary care consulters with osteoarthritis: a prospective cohort study. BMJ Open, 4(9), Article e005221. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005221

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 24, 2014
• Publication Date: Sep 4, 2014
• Journal: BMJ Open
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 9
• Article Number: e005221
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005221
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005221