Employment careers of young type I diabetic patients in The Netherlands

The factors that influence the employment careers of diabetic patients aged 20 to 34 years were studied using a mail questionnaire. The study included all members of the Dutch diabetics association (Diabetes Vereniging Nederland) in that age group. A total of 5987 questionnaires were mailed; 4300 completed questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of about 72%. The aim of the study was to provide a better insight into the problems type I diabetic patients face in the labor market: entry into the labor market, conditions at work, and (premature) exit from the labor market owing to health reasons. This study carefully distinguished between employability and employment. Results showed that having diabetes did not decrease the chances of entry into the labor market for the subjects, although some types of jobs are still unavailable for diabetic patients. There was no higher unemployment in the study population than in the general population. Although there were problems faced by patients in the work situation, they were generally limited to a small group.