12 Oct Who Returns To Work After First Hospitalization for Heart Failure?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Rasmus Rørth
Rasmus Rørth MD
From Department of Cardiology
Rigshospitalet
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Heart failure is considered to be one of the most common, costly, disabling and deadly medical conditions and is thus a major health care problem. The ability to maintain a full-time job addresses a vital indirect consequence and cost of heart failure, beyond the usual clinical parameters such as mortality and hospitalization. Ability to work is more than just another measure of performance status. As well as its financial importance, employment is crucial for self-esteem and quality of life in patients with chronic illness. Obtaining information on labour force inclusion should, therefore, shed light on an unstudied consequence of heart failure and provide a novel perspective on the impact of heart failure on the lives of those who, perhaps, have most to lose from this condition.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: One year after first heart failure hospitalization, 8040 (68%) returned to the work force, 2981 (25%) did not and 805 (7%) died. Younger age, male gender, higher educational attainment and higher income were associated with a higher likelihood of returning to the work force. Conversely, several comorbidities such as stroke, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, COPD and cancer were associated with a lower chance of returning to the work force.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Among individuals in the workforce prior to first heart failure hospitalization more than 30% were not in the workforce one year later. Better understanding of the causes might suggest whether loss of working capacity might be prevented by, for example, intensive rehabilitation, psychological, educational or some other therapeutic intervention.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: It is clearly important to try and better understand why loss of employment occurs. Initiatives to identify heart failure patients at high risk of work force detachment and to optimize disease management would have high public health and socioeconomic impact and improve quality of life and prognosis. This is of great importance because removal from the labour market and dependence on public benefits has great economic consequences, which go beyond the already significant economic burden these patients place on the health care system, as well as potentially many other social, psychological and medical implications.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation:
Return to the Workforce After First Hospitalization for Heart Failure
A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study
Rasmus Rørth, Chih Wong, Kristian Kragholm, Emil L. Fosbøl, Ulrik M. Mogensen, Morten Lamberts, Mark C. Petrie, Pardeep S. Jhund,Thomas A. Gerds, Christian Torp-Pedersen, Gunnar H. Gislason, John J.V. McMurray, Lars Køber and Søren L. Kristensen
http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.116.021859Published: October 4, 201
Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
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Last Updated on October 13, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD