TY - JOUR
T1 - Work ability of Dutch employees with rheumatoid arthritis
AU - de Croon, E.M.
AU - Sluiter, J.K.
AU - Nijssen, TF
AU - Kammeijer, M.
AU - Dijkmans, B.A.C.
AU - Lankhorst, G.J.
AU - Frings-Dresen, M.H.W.
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - Objectives: To ( i) examine the association between fatigue, psychosocial work characteristics ( job control, support, participation in decision making, psychological job demands), and physical work requirements on the one hand and work ability of employees with rheumatoid arthritis ( RA) on the other, and ( ii) determine the advice that health care professionals give to employees with RA on how to maintain their work ability. Methods: Data were gathered from 78 employees with early RA ( response = 99%) by telephone interviews and self- report questionnaires. Results: Fatigue, lack of autonomy, low coworker/ supervisor support, low participation in decision making, and high physical work requirements ( i. e. using manual force) predicted low work ability. High psychological job demands, however, did not predict low work ability. The rheumatologist, occupational physician, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, and psychologist gave advice on how to cope with RA at work to 36, 30, 27, 26, and 17% of the employees, respectively. Advice was directed mainly at factors intrinsic to the employee. Employees expressed a positive attitude towards this advice. Conclusions: Fatigue, lack of support, lack of autonomy, lack of participation in decision making, and using manual force at work ( e. g. pushing and pulling) threaten the work ability of employees with RA. According to the employees with RA, involvement of health care professionals from different disciplines and the implementation of organizational and technical interventions would help them to tackle these threats
AB - Objectives: To ( i) examine the association between fatigue, psychosocial work characteristics ( job control, support, participation in decision making, psychological job demands), and physical work requirements on the one hand and work ability of employees with rheumatoid arthritis ( RA) on the other, and ( ii) determine the advice that health care professionals give to employees with RA on how to maintain their work ability. Methods: Data were gathered from 78 employees with early RA ( response = 99%) by telephone interviews and self- report questionnaires. Results: Fatigue, lack of autonomy, low coworker/ supervisor support, low participation in decision making, and high physical work requirements ( i. e. using manual force) predicted low work ability. High psychological job demands, however, did not predict low work ability. The rheumatologist, occupational physician, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, and psychologist gave advice on how to cope with RA at work to 36, 30, 27, 26, and 17% of the employees, respectively. Advice was directed mainly at factors intrinsic to the employee. Employees expressed a positive attitude towards this advice. Conclusions: Fatigue, lack of support, lack of autonomy, lack of participation in decision making, and using manual force at work ( e. g. pushing and pulling) threaten the work ability of employees with RA. According to the employees with RA, involvement of health care professionals from different disciplines and the implementation of organizational and technical interventions would help them to tackle these threats
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1080/03009740510018615
DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/03009740510018615
M3 - Article
C2 - 16195160
SN - 0300-9742
VL - 34
SP - 277
EP - 283
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology
IS - 4
ER -