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Socioeconomic status in ankylosing spondylitis: relationship between occupation and disease activity
E Roussou1, L G Kennedy, S Garrett
1Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath, UK.
Objective:
To identify the socioeconomic status through occupation of a large cohort of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to determine possible relationships between occupation and clinical variables.
Methods:
We analyzed the employment status of 1,044 patients with AS.
Results:
85% of patients (890 of 1,044) were in full employment at the time of the assessment compared to 15% who were unemployed. When 50 employed patients were compared to 50 unemployed cases, the latter had increased disease activity and lower psychosocial well being.
Conclusion:
Employed patients from the higher occupational group (I), had less disease activity, and lower pain and depression than patients from the lowest occupational group (IV).