Contributions
Abstract: P1324
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: RIMS - Neuropsychology and fatigue management
Background: Many MS patients leave their jobs prematurely, which is known to negatively influence their quality of life. In order to examine risk factors of job loss it is important to focus on the process of job loss. This process may include productivity losses, occurrence of negative work events and an increased use of accommodations. Recent studies support the influence of coping strategies in job loss. Disabled MS patients were found to use more dysfunctional coping strategies than employed MS patients. In order to provide more insight in the process of job loss and related coping strategies, the current study examines the prevalence of negative work events and accommodations in employees with MS, and their associations with coping strategies.
Methods: 97 MS patients with a paid job (77% females; 21-59 years old) completed questionnaires about their work situation, work productivity, coping strategies, demographic characteristics, physical and cognitive functioning, depression, anxiety and fatigue in the context of the MS@Work study. Forward binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine predictors of reported negative work events (i.e. reporting/ not reporting negative work events) and reported accommodations
(i.e. reporting/not reporting accommodations).
Results: 17% of the MS patients reported one or more negative work events (in particular verbal criticism for errors) and 73% used one or more accommodations at work (in particular flexible scheduling and physical changes to the workplace). The presence of negative work events was associated with a higher use of emotion-focused coping (p=0.01; B(SE)= 0.12(0.04)) and more absenteeism (p=0.07; B(SE)=0.39(0.21)). The use of work accommodations was related to a higher educational level (p=0.04; B(SE)= 0.34(0.17)) and more presenteeism (p=0.02; B(SE)=0.54(0.22)). MS patients reporting physical changes to the workplace employed more emotion-focused coping and MS patients reporting flexible scheduling used a more task-oriented coping style.
Conclusion: Emotion-oriented and task-oriented coping strategies were associated with negative work events and the use of accommodations. Although no causal inferences can be made, this study provides additional evidence for the beneficial effect of a more problem-oriented and less emotion-oriented coping style. It may be useful to incorporate (internet-based) interventions aimed at enhancing adequate coping styles in employees with MS.
Disclosure:
The MS@Work study is financed by the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Teva Pharmaceuticals and ZonMw (TOP Grant, project number: 842003003).
KvdH, DvG, EB, HB, JF, BvG, JM, PP, WV, GV, DZ, MH, HM and LV have nothing to disclose.
RB: Prof. Dr. R.H.B. receives research support from Biogen, Novartis, Genzyme, Acorda and Mallinckrodt, provides consultation for Biogen, Genentech, Teva, Novartis, and Sanofi, and conducts CME for EMD Serono.
PJ: Dr. P.J.Jongen has received honoraria from Allergan, Bayer, Merck-Serono and Teva for contributions to symposia as a speaker or for consultancy activities
EA: Dr. E.P.J. Arnoldus reports personal fees from honoraria for lectures, and honoraria for advisory boards from TEVA Netherlands, Biogen Idec and Novartis, outside the submitted work.
JvE: Dr. J.J.J van Eijk received honoraria for lectures, travel grants and honoraria for advisory boards from TEVA Netherlands, Merck Serono, Genzyme, Biogen Idec and Novartis, outside the submitted work.
SF:Dr. S.T.F.M. Frequin reported consulting and lecture fees from/ and working with Abbot, Bayer Schering, Biogen Idec, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Merck Serono, UCB Pharma, TEVA, Sanofi/Aventis, Genzyme, Roche.
GH: Dr. G.J.D. Hengstman reports grants and personal fees from Biogen Idec, grants, personal fees and other from Novartis, grants and personal fees from Teva Pharmaceuticals, grants and personal fees from Merck Serono, grants, personal fees and other from Genzyme, outside the submitted work.
EH: Dr. E. Hoitsma reports grants from Genzyme, grants from Biogen Idec, grants from Bayer, outside the submitted work.
RH: Dr. R.M.M. Hupperts received honoraria for lectures, grants for research and honoraria for advisory boards from Merck Serono, Novartis, Genzyme Sanofi and Biogen, outside the submitted work. JPM: Dr. J. P. Mostert reports personal fees from Novartis, Merck Serono, Genzyme, TEVA, outside the submitted work.
Abstract: P1324
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: RIMS - Neuropsychology and fatigue management
Background: Many MS patients leave their jobs prematurely, which is known to negatively influence their quality of life. In order to examine risk factors of job loss it is important to focus on the process of job loss. This process may include productivity losses, occurrence of negative work events and an increased use of accommodations. Recent studies support the influence of coping strategies in job loss. Disabled MS patients were found to use more dysfunctional coping strategies than employed MS patients. In order to provide more insight in the process of job loss and related coping strategies, the current study examines the prevalence of negative work events and accommodations in employees with MS, and their associations with coping strategies.
Methods: 97 MS patients with a paid job (77% females; 21-59 years old) completed questionnaires about their work situation, work productivity, coping strategies, demographic characteristics, physical and cognitive functioning, depression, anxiety and fatigue in the context of the MS@Work study. Forward binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine predictors of reported negative work events (i.e. reporting/ not reporting negative work events) and reported accommodations
(i.e. reporting/not reporting accommodations).
Results: 17% of the MS patients reported one or more negative work events (in particular verbal criticism for errors) and 73% used one or more accommodations at work (in particular flexible scheduling and physical changes to the workplace). The presence of negative work events was associated with a higher use of emotion-focused coping (p=0.01; B(SE)= 0.12(0.04)) and more absenteeism (p=0.07; B(SE)=0.39(0.21)). The use of work accommodations was related to a higher educational level (p=0.04; B(SE)= 0.34(0.17)) and more presenteeism (p=0.02; B(SE)=0.54(0.22)). MS patients reporting physical changes to the workplace employed more emotion-focused coping and MS patients reporting flexible scheduling used a more task-oriented coping style.
Conclusion: Emotion-oriented and task-oriented coping strategies were associated with negative work events and the use of accommodations. Although no causal inferences can be made, this study provides additional evidence for the beneficial effect of a more problem-oriented and less emotion-oriented coping style. It may be useful to incorporate (internet-based) interventions aimed at enhancing adequate coping styles in employees with MS.
Disclosure:
The MS@Work study is financed by the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Teva Pharmaceuticals and ZonMw (TOP Grant, project number: 842003003).
KvdH, DvG, EB, HB, JF, BvG, JM, PP, WV, GV, DZ, MH, HM and LV have nothing to disclose.
RB: Prof. Dr. R.H.B. receives research support from Biogen, Novartis, Genzyme, Acorda and Mallinckrodt, provides consultation for Biogen, Genentech, Teva, Novartis, and Sanofi, and conducts CME for EMD Serono.
PJ: Dr. P.J.Jongen has received honoraria from Allergan, Bayer, Merck-Serono and Teva for contributions to symposia as a speaker or for consultancy activities
EA: Dr. E.P.J. Arnoldus reports personal fees from honoraria for lectures, and honoraria for advisory boards from TEVA Netherlands, Biogen Idec and Novartis, outside the submitted work.
JvE: Dr. J.J.J van Eijk received honoraria for lectures, travel grants and honoraria for advisory boards from TEVA Netherlands, Merck Serono, Genzyme, Biogen Idec and Novartis, outside the submitted work.
SF:Dr. S.T.F.M. Frequin reported consulting and lecture fees from/ and working with Abbot, Bayer Schering, Biogen Idec, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Merck Serono, UCB Pharma, TEVA, Sanofi/Aventis, Genzyme, Roche.
GH: Dr. G.J.D. Hengstman reports grants and personal fees from Biogen Idec, grants, personal fees and other from Novartis, grants and personal fees from Teva Pharmaceuticals, grants and personal fees from Merck Serono, grants, personal fees and other from Genzyme, outside the submitted work.
EH: Dr. E. Hoitsma reports grants from Genzyme, grants from Biogen Idec, grants from Bayer, outside the submitted work.
RH: Dr. R.M.M. Hupperts received honoraria for lectures, grants for research and honoraria for advisory boards from Merck Serono, Novartis, Genzyme Sanofi and Biogen, outside the submitted work. JPM: Dr. J. P. Mostert reports personal fees from Novartis, Merck Serono, Genzyme, TEVA, outside the submitted work.