News - Younger Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients At Greater Risk Of Becoming Disabl

January 16, 2001

Younger Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients At Greater Risk Of Becoming Disabled

Pensioners

A DGReview of : " Becoming a Disability Pensioner with Rheumatoid Arthritis in

Norway 1971-1990 "

Journal of Rheumatology

01/16/2001

By Rose

A report from Norway suggests that the consequences of having rheumatoid

arthritis are highest for the youngest age group in the labour market compared

to other age groups.

Researchers designed a prospective study to assess whether the association

between predictors and becoming a disability pensioner with rheumatoid arthritis

(RA) was stronger for either the youngest or the oldest age group.

It follows acknowledgement that there have been associations between physically

demanding occupations and becoming a disability pensioner with rheumatoid

arthritis (DPRA) but not with the disease of RA. This is believed to have a

number of components, which include difficulty in maintaining employment,

varying employer attitudes and age.

Data for the study was drawn from people in Norway who were between 30 to 56

years in the census of either 1970 or 1980. During the two follow-up periods of

1971 to 1980 and 1981-1990, all new cases of DPRA were identified and underwent

analysis by logistic regression.

Among women, the predictors employment, low level of education and the period

(1981-1990 by comparison with 1971-1980) revealed a stronger association for the

youngest women becoming DPRA as opposed to older women. However, manual work and

part-time employment were not predictors of becoming a disabled pensioner with

rheumatoid arthritis.

For men, all the predictors in the study indicated a stronger association for

becoming a DPRA also for the youngest compared with the oldest age group.

The Journal of Rheumatology 2001 Vol 28 pp 54-61.

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