Work productivity and activity impairment in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: a cross-sectional study

The understanding of absenteeism, presenteeism, and impairments in daily activities among patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is limited. We examined the impact of disease-specific factors of HS on work and daily life among a cohort of outpatients in a tertiary hospital setting.

Consecutive patients with HS were clinically evaluated and completed the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire modified for HS.

A total of 100 patients were included. Among 57 (57.0%) patients who were employed, 21.2% reported missing work, and 60.4% reported loss of work productivity during the preceding week as a result of HS. The overall work productivity was reduced by 26.6%. Seventy-two percent reported daily activity impairment, averaging 32.7% reduction in daily activities. Moderate to strong correlations were observed between reduction in quality of life and the WPAI outcomes; presenteeism, overall work impairment, and activity impairment (r = 0.50-0.77). There were moderate correlations between disease severity and the same outcomes (r = 0.35-0.46). The mean rank of activity impairment among patients with Hurley stage I was 34.8, 60.1 for Hurley stage II, and 64.0 for Hurley stage III, P < 0.0001. Unemployed patients had higher activity impairment compared with employed patients (mean rank: 61.0 vs. 42.6, P = 0.001).

There are considerable rates of presenteeism, overall work impairment, and activity impairment in HS patients. Presenteeism, loss of overall work productivity, and activity impairment are positively correlated with greater disease severity and reduction in quality of life.