TY - JOUR
T1 - The correlation between occupation type and fibromyalgia severity
AU - Mohabbat, A. B.
AU - Wight, E. C.
AU - Mohabbat, N. M.L.
AU - Nanda, S.
AU - Ferguson, J. A.
AU - Philpot, L.
AU - Adusumalli, J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023/6/1
Y1 - 2023/6/1
N2 - Background: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain disorder associated with financial burden, decreased work productivity and absenteeism. Occupational stressors and specific employment factors may contribute to the severity of FM. Aims: To determine if occupation type or employment status correlates with FM diagnostic and severity parameters, as assessed via validated instruments including tender points (TP), Widespread Pain Index (WPI), Symptom Severity (SS) and pain regions. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 200 adult patients diagnosed with FM at a single-centre FM clinic. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical records. Occupations were manually grouped in an iterative modified-Delphi approach and participants were grouped by employment status (Working, Not Working/Disabled or Retired) for analysis. Results: In our cohort, 61% were employed and 24% were not working/disabled, while the remainder were students, homemakers or retired. SS score was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in not working/disabled patients compared to those employed. Business owners had the lowest TP count (median = 14) and the lowest median SS score (median = 7). WPI was highest for Others (Arts/Entertainment, Driver/Delivery and Housekeeper/Custodian workers; median=16) and the lowest for Retail/Sales/Wait Staff (median = 11). Conclusions: Work-related factors, occupation type and employment status correlate with diagnostic and severity parameters of FM. Employed participants had significantly lower SS scores suggesting that work loss correlates with SS. Participants employed in entry-level jobs or jobs with higher physical or financial stressors may experience greater FM symptoms. Further studies are required to explore work-related factors and their impact on the diagnostic and severity parameters of FM.
AB - Background: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain disorder associated with financial burden, decreased work productivity and absenteeism. Occupational stressors and specific employment factors may contribute to the severity of FM. Aims: To determine if occupation type or employment status correlates with FM diagnostic and severity parameters, as assessed via validated instruments including tender points (TP), Widespread Pain Index (WPI), Symptom Severity (SS) and pain regions. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 200 adult patients diagnosed with FM at a single-centre FM clinic. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical records. Occupations were manually grouped in an iterative modified-Delphi approach and participants were grouped by employment status (Working, Not Working/Disabled or Retired) for analysis. Results: In our cohort, 61% were employed and 24% were not working/disabled, while the remainder were students, homemakers or retired. SS score was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in not working/disabled patients compared to those employed. Business owners had the lowest TP count (median = 14) and the lowest median SS score (median = 7). WPI was highest for Others (Arts/Entertainment, Driver/Delivery and Housekeeper/Custodian workers; median=16) and the lowest for Retail/Sales/Wait Staff (median = 11). Conclusions: Work-related factors, occupation type and employment status correlate with diagnostic and severity parameters of FM. Employed participants had significantly lower SS scores suggesting that work loss correlates with SS. Participants employed in entry-level jobs or jobs with higher physical or financial stressors may experience greater FM symptoms. Further studies are required to explore work-related factors and their impact on the diagnostic and severity parameters of FM.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164042371&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85164042371&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/occmed/kqad063
DO - 10.1093/occmed/kqad063
M3 - Article
C2 - 37227425
AN - SCOPUS:85164042371
SN - 0962-7480
VL - 73
SP - 257
EP - 262
JO - Occupational Medicine
JF - Occupational Medicine
IS - 5
ER -