These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: A proof-of-concept study of the "Employment and Arthritis: Making It Work" program.
    Author: Lacaille D, White MA, Rogers PA, Backman CL, Gignac MA, Esdaile JM.
    Journal: Arthritis Rheum; 2008 Nov 15; 59(11):1647-55. PubMed ID: 18975352.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: Work disability is a common outcome of inflammatory arthritis (IA), yet few services address employment. We conducted a proof-of-concept study of the "Employment and Arthritis: Making It Work" self-management program aimed at preventing work disability and maintaining at-work productivity in employed people with IA. METHODS: The program was developed using the precede-proceed model and self-management concepts. Program goals included modifying risk factors for work disability and enhancing self-management of work problems due to IA, as identified in initial focus groups. The program included a self-learning manual, 5 group sessions, and individual visits with an occupational therapist for an ergonomic assessment and a vocational rehabilitation counselor. It was pilot tested in 2 groups (n = 19) and evaluated over 12 months of followup. RESULTS: Participants consisted of 19 employed women with IA. Process evaluation demonstrated feasibility and excellent attendance and use of the self-learning manual. By 1 year, 80% reported increased confidence in requesting job accommodations, 74% had requested an accommodation, and 71% of requested accommodations were implemented. The occupational therapist and vocational rehabilitation counselor visits resulted in recommendations for change in 100% and 74% of participants, respectively, with implementation of some recommended changes in 89% and 63%, respectively. Improvements were observed in self-confidence in managing problems at work, fatigue interference with work, measures of limitations, and at-work productivity. CONCLUSION: We developed a novel intervention to prevent work disability in patients with IA, combining self-management group sessions and professional assessments aimed at job retention, which resulted in people making changes to adapt their work to their arthritis, and improved fatigue, self-efficacy, and at-work productivity.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]