Longitudinal changes in sickness absence and disability pension, and associations between disability pension and...

Even though it is well known that disability due to MS is highly associated with employment status, the long-term longitudinal perspective on sickness absence and disability pension over the MS trajectory is lacking. In addition, further knowledge of risk factors for future disability pension is needed.

To explore long-term longitudinal changes in the prevalence of sickness absence and disability pension in people with MS (PwMS), as well as to explore associations between disease-specific factors, contextual factors and functioning, and the outcome of future full-time disability pension.

A prospective, population-based survival cohort study, with a nine year follow-up, including 114 PwMS was conducted by combining face-to-face collected data and register-based data.

The prevalence of full-time disability pension increased from 20% to 50%, however 24% of the PwMS had no disability pension at all at end of follow-up. Sex, age, disease severity and impaired manual dexterity were associated with future full-time disability pension.

The large increase in prevalence of PwMS on full-time disability pension during the MS trajectory, calls for the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions, aiming at keeping PwMS in the work force. Modifiable factors, such as manual dexterity should be targeted in such interventions.