Objective: To compare work productivity among employed people with arthritis to healthy controls.
Methods: The data source was the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey. The outcomes were work absence (absenteeism) in the last week and reducing activities at work (presenteeism). The key explanatory variable was chronic condition status: 1) no chronic conditions; 2) arthritis only; 3) any chronic condition but arthritis; and 4) arthritis with other chronic conditions. Logistic regressions were used to measure the association between chronic conditions status and absenteeism and presenteeism.
Results: The odds of presenteeism among people with arthritis only were 8-fold greater than the odds among people without any chronic conditions. However, arthritis only was not found to increase the odds of absenteeism.
Conclusions: Employed people with arthritis are able to continue working but at reduced capacity.