Sustained improvement in work outcomes in employed patients with rheumatoid arthritis during 2 years of adalimumab therapy: an observational cohort study

Explaining the gap in the experience of depression among arthritis patients

OBJECTIVE

To explain the factors contributing to the gap in depression between employed arthritis patients with and without paid sick leave.

METHODS

Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis was used to identify factors that explain the gap in the experience of depressive symptoms among arthritis patients with paid and unpaid sick leave. Data from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey, USA, was used.

RESULTS

A total of 7189 of the NHIS survey participants given the diagnosis of arthritis were identified, of which 39% were male and 61% were female, with mean age of 63.5 years. The decomposition findings suggest patients in the unpaid sick leave group were more likely to report depressive symptoms compared to patients with paid sick leave. The major contributors to the gap in the report of depressive symptoms are sex (female) and annual income (less than 35,000 USD).

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that the absence of paid sick leave is a key determinant for experiencing depressive symptoms among individuals with arthritis. The provision of paid sick leave may reduce report of depressive symptoms among employed arthritis patients in the USA.

KEY POINTS

• Individuals with arthritis are consistently at greater risk of depression and unemployment as compared to individuals without arthritis. • To date greater emphasis is put on determinants of unemployment, while there is no available data on benefits associated with being employed, such as sick leave, and how it affects mental health. • Patients with unpaid sick leave appear to experience more persistent depressive symptoms than patients with access to paid sick leave. • To tackle burden of depression among arthritis patients, provision of paid sick leave may be an effective intervention.

Verbessert eine Adalimuab-Therapie die Arbeitsproduktivität von RA-Patienten?

Rheumatoide Arthritis (RA) kann zu einer Erhöhung der krankheitsbedingten Fehlzeiten und einer verminderten Produktivität während der Arbeitszeit führen, was mit hohen gesellschaftlichen Kosten verbunden ist. Neuere Studien zeigen, dass eine wirksame RA-Therapie die arbeitsbezogenen Ergebnisse der Patienten über einen Zeitraum von 6 bis 12 Monaten verbessert. Diese Arbeit untersucht die Auswirkungen einer 24-monatigen Adalimumab-Therapie auf die Arbeitsproduktivität bei berufstätigen Patienten mit RA.