Contributions
Abstract: P907
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Economic burden
Background and objectives: Previous studies have documented far lower participation rates in paid employment for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) compared to the general population. In a large national sample of people with MS, we examined employment status, longitudinal changes in employment, and the provision of required modifications to work roles and work environment from 2010 to 2013.
Methods: The Australian MS Longitudinal Study collects data from a representative sample of Australians with MS. Employment data were collected from 2010 to 2013 (n=2143 (2010), n=1846 (2011), n=2291 (2012), and n=2182 (2013), with 1260 people responding to all four surveys. Employment rates were compared (z-tests) with the general population using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The survey included questions on the organisational provision of modifications to employees" work role and work environment.
Results: The longitudinal loss of employment was 5.8% over the four years. The age and sex standardised rates of employment (full and part-time) increased over the four years from 48.8% in 2010 to 57.8 in 2013 which was associated with a decrease in the difference between people with MS and the general population from 14.3% in 2010 to 3.5% in 2013. The majority of people with MS (2013) who required adjustments to their work role (38.8%) received those adjustments (94.8%) with slightly less of those requiring adjustments to their work environment (21.1%) receiving them (81.6%).
Conclusions: The gap in employment between people with MS and the general population has substantially reduced from 2010 to 2013. It is also encouraging to find that organisations are responding positively to requests for work role/environment adjustments. It is important to understand the relative contribution of factors that may have reduced this gap, such as possibly the role of immunotherapy and employment support services.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant disclosures
Abstract: P907
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Clinical aspects of MS - Economic burden
Background and objectives: Previous studies have documented far lower participation rates in paid employment for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) compared to the general population. In a large national sample of people with MS, we examined employment status, longitudinal changes in employment, and the provision of required modifications to work roles and work environment from 2010 to 2013.
Methods: The Australian MS Longitudinal Study collects data from a representative sample of Australians with MS. Employment data were collected from 2010 to 2013 (n=2143 (2010), n=1846 (2011), n=2291 (2012), and n=2182 (2013), with 1260 people responding to all four surveys. Employment rates were compared (z-tests) with the general population using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The survey included questions on the organisational provision of modifications to employees" work role and work environment.
Results: The longitudinal loss of employment was 5.8% over the four years. The age and sex standardised rates of employment (full and part-time) increased over the four years from 48.8% in 2010 to 57.8 in 2013 which was associated with a decrease in the difference between people with MS and the general population from 14.3% in 2010 to 3.5% in 2013. The majority of people with MS (2013) who required adjustments to their work role (38.8%) received those adjustments (94.8%) with slightly less of those requiring adjustments to their work environment (21.1%) receiving them (81.6%).
Conclusions: The gap in employment between people with MS and the general population has substantially reduced from 2010 to 2013. It is also encouraging to find that organisations are responding positively to requests for work role/environment adjustments. It is important to understand the relative contribution of factors that may have reduced this gap, such as possibly the role of immunotherapy and employment support services.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant disclosures