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How co-morbidities magnify the effect of arthritis on labour force participation and economic status: a costs of illness study in Australia

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Abstract

Few studies have assessed the impact of co-morbid conditions amongst patients with arthritis. This study will quantify the impact co-morbid health conditions have on the labour force status and economic circumstances of people with arthritis. This study uses a microsimulation model, Health&WealthMOD, to quantify the impact of co-morbidities on the labour force participation and economic circumstances of 45- to 64-year-old Australians with arthritis. The results show that the probability of being out of the labour force increases with increasing number of co-morbidities. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the amount of weekly private income received by people with arthritis and no co-morbidities, and people with arthritis and one or two co-morbidities. However, those with arthritis and three or more co-morbidities received a weekly private income 72 % lower than people with arthritis alone (95 % CI −82, −57). People with arthritis and co-morbidities paid less in tax and received more in government transfer payments. As such, it is important to consider the co-morbid conditions an individual has when assessing the impact of arthritis on labour force participation and economic circumstances. People with arthritis that have multiple co-morbid conditions are likely to have their labour force participation and economic circumstances interrupted much more than those with arthritis only.

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Acknowledgments

The development of the microsimulation model used in this research, Health&WealthMOD, is funded by the Australian Research Council (under Grant LP07749193), and Pfizer Australia is a partner to the grant.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Locked Bag 77, Camperdown, NSW, 1450, Australia

    Deborah J. Schofield, Emily J. Callander & Rupendra N. Shrestha

  2. School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Deborah J. Schofield

  3. University Centre for Rural Health – North Coast, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Megan E. Passey

  4. National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    Richard Percival & Simon J. Kelly

Authors
  1. Deborah J. Schofield
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  2. Emily J. Callander
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  3. Rupendra N. Shrestha
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  4. Megan E. Passey
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  5. Richard Percival
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  6. Simon J. Kelly
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emily J. Callander.

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Schofield, D.J., Callander, E.J., Shrestha, R.N. et al. How co-morbidities magnify the effect of arthritis on labour force participation and economic status: a costs of illness study in Australia. Rheumatol Int 34, 481–489 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-014-2967-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-014-2967-5

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