Return to work after an acute coronary syndrome: patients' perspective

Frans G. Slebus, Harald T. Jorstad, Ron J. G. Peters, P. Paul F. M. Kuijer, J. Han H. B. M. Willems, Judith K. Sluiter, Monique H. W. Frings-Dresen

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22 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To describe the time perspective of return to work and the factors that facilitate and hinder return to work in a group of survivors of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Retrospective semi-structured telephone survey 2 to 3 years after hospitalization with 84 employed Dutch ACS-patients from one academic medical hospital. Fifty-eight percent of patients returned to work within 3 months, whereas at least 88% returned to work once within 2 years. Two years after hospitalization, 12% of ACS patients had not returned to work at all, and 24% were working, but not at pre-ACS levels. For all ACS-patients, the most mentioned categories of facilitating factors to return to work were having no complaints and not having signs or symptoms of heart disease. Physical incapacity, co-morbidity, and mental incapacity were the top 3 categories of hindering factors against returning to work. Within 2 years, 36% of the patients had not returned to work at their pre-ACS levels. Disease factors, functional capacity, environmental factors, and personal factors were listed as affecting subjects' work ability level
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)117-122
JournalSafety and Health at Work
Volume3
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

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