Return to work after heart transplantation: the New Zealand experience

Return to work and social re-integration following heart transplantation is a significant challenge for patients. The aim of this study is to provide a snapshot of the current employment status and factors associated with return to work in New Zealand recipients over the past decade.

Consecutive surviving patients who underwent heart transplantation in the 10 years from June 2001 to June 2011, alive in July 2012, were retrospectively identified. Details on demographics, employment before and after transplantation were obtained and recorded.

A total of 87 patients were included, out of a total of 111 patients who underwent heart transplantation in the 10 year period from June 2001 (24 patients had died prior to July 2012). The median age of the study cohort was 52 years (range 15-75 years) and 19 were female. A total of 51 (58.6%) patients were in paid employment at the time of review. Of the 36 (41.4%) patients not in paid employment, 5 were students, 12 were retired and 10 were homemakers or not working through lifestyle choice. Two patients were unable to work for health reasons. Seven (8%) patients considered able to work were on an unemployment or invalid's benefit. Of the patients working prior to heart transplantation, 88.9% returned to work after a median of 8.5 months, and 70.6% remained on paid employment at a median follow-up of 77 months after transplantation. There was a statistically significant correlation between the time of stopping work prior to transplant and return to work after transplant (r = 0.497, P < .01).

The current rate of paid employment in patients who underwent heart transplantation was similar to the overall employment rate in New Zealand. The most important predictor of returning to work was employment status prior to transplantation. Discussions regarding return to work early in the transplantation assessment process and actively assisting patients to seek employment after transplantation may improve employment rates.