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07 Feb 2008
Sufferers of one of the most common forms of arthritis are more likely to take early retirement within ten years of the onset of arthritis pain, latest research suggests.
A Swedish study has found up to 50 per cent of people with rheumatoid arthritis retire early and have to apply for a disability pension within the first decade of being diagnosed with the condition.
Researchers at the Stockholm School of Economics, the University of Lund in Sweden and the Medical University of Vienna identified that up to two-thirds of costs for rheumatoid arthritis patients are outside the healthcare sector.
These costs include productivity losses, and out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the patient, the report published in a supplement to Springer's The European Journal of Health Economics, states.
"Of all the chronic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis has one of the biggest impacts on the quality of life of patients," Josef Smolen, a rheumatologist at the Medical University of Vienna explained.
"Patient access to good care and treatment including thorough follow-up examinations and access to innovative drug therapies, where indicated, are critical elements that will benefit all of society."
Rheumatoid arthritis is estimated to affect more than three million people in Europe, with the total annual economic impact believed to be €42 billion in Western Europe and €3.4 billion in Eastern Europe.
Click here to learn more about arthritis
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