Chronic illness, treatment choice and workforce participation

Int J Health Care Finance Econ. 2003 Sep;3(3):167-81. doi: 10.1023/a:1025332802736.

Abstract

Choices with respect to labor force participation and medical treatment are increasingly intertwined. Technological advances present patients with new choices and may facilitate continued employment for the growing number of chronically ill individuals. We examine joint work/treatment decisions of end stage renal disease patients, a group for whom these tradeoffs are particularly salient. Using a simultaneous equations probit model, we find that treatment choice is a significant predictor of employment status. However, the effect size is considerably smaller than in models that do not consider the joint nature of these choices.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Choice Behavior
  • Chronic Disease
  • Employment / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Health Care Surveys
  • Humans
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Statistical
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / psychology
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Renal Dialysis / statistics & numerical data*
  • United States