Worker Productivity Outcome Measures in Arthritis
REUBEN ESCORPIZO, CLAIRE BOMBARDIER, ANNELIES BOONEN, JOHANNA M.W. HAZES,
DIANE LACAILLE, VIBEKE STRAND, and DORCAS BEATON
ABSTRACT.
Arthritis is a leading cause of work disability and makes up a significant amount of the socioeconomic cost and health burden to the working age population. We discuss the measurement of worker productivity: that is, absenteeism and presenteeism. Absenteeism refers to the time missed from work due to health reasons and presenteeism refers to the time of impaired performance while at work due to health reasons resulting in productivity loss. While the term absenteeism is commonly used and has several definitions by itself, the current arthritis literature lacks the use of presenteeism as a work outcome measure in describing health states of the workers and for economic costing. Due to advanced medical management and job accommodations that allow workers to stay at work, absenteeism alone may not be enough to give us a complete picture of worker productivity. From our review, we found that the conceptualization and measurement of absenteeism and presenteeism differ. Our research agenda was to carry forward a work outcome measurement that can be used for cost calculation and that can determine levels or states of productivity loss so we can accurately measure the influence of arthritis and advance arthritis care. We recognize the need to perform psychometric testing of work outcome measures and to improve our ability to identify transitions (i.e., move in and out of a productivity state over time) made by workers with arthritis. (J Rheumatol 2007;34:1372-80)
Key Indexing Terms:
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
OUTCOMES
WORK
EMPLOYMENT
INSTRUMENTS
PRODUCTIVITY
From the Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto, and Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Clinical Decision-making and Health Care, Toronto General Research Institute, Toronto; Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Maastricht, and Caphri Research Institute, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Rheumatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Division of Rheumatology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Division of Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA; and Department of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
R. Escorpizo was supported by a EULAR travel award, and a WSIB RAC fellowship. Dr. Beaton is supported by a New Investigators award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. This work was supported by the Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, Canada.
R. Escorpizo, BSc, PT, MSc, PhD Student, Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto, Institute for Work and Health; C. Bombardier, MD, Senior Scientist, Institute for Work and Health, Head, Senior Scientist, Division of Clinical Decision-making and Health Care, Toronto General Research Institute, Professor, Department of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto;
A. Boonen, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Maastricht, and Caphri Research Institute; J.M.W. Hazes, MD, PhD, Professor of Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center; D. Lacaille, MD, MHSc, FRCPC, Assistant Professor, Division of Rheumatology, University of British Columbia, Research Scientist, Arthritis Research Centre of Canada; V. Strand, MD, Adjunct Clinical Professor, Division of Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine; D. Beaton, BSc, OT, PhD, Director, Mobility Program, Clinical Research Unit, St Michael's Hospital, Scientist, Institute for Work and Health, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto.
Address reprint requests to Prof. D. Beaton, Mobility Program, Clinical Research Unit, St. Michael's Hospital, 70 Richmond St. East, Suite 315, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada. E-mail: beatond@smh.toronto.on.ca
