A Retrospective Cohort Analysis of the Impact of Osteoarthritis on Disability Leave, Workers' Compensation Claims, and Healthcare Payments. Issue 12 (5th December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thakkar, Sheena; Gifford, Brian; Sell, Heather; Schepman, Patricia; Robinson, Rebecca; Emir, Birol
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 63:Issue 12(2021)
• Page Start: e883
• Page End: e892
• Publication Date: 2021-12-05
• Subjects: chronic pain -- disability -- employee -- opioid -- osteoarthritis -- United States; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002394
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Abstract : Objectives: Examine short-term disability (STD) and workers' compensation (WC) associated leave and wage replacements, and overall direct healthcare payments, among employees with osteoarthritis (OA) versus other chronically painful conditions; quantifying the impact of opioid use. Methods: Analysis of employees with more than or equal to two STD or WC claims for OA or pre-specified chronically painful conditions (control) in the IBM MarketScan Research Databases (2014 to 2017). Results: The OA cohort ( n = 144, 355) had an estimated +1.2 STD days, +$152 STD payments, and +$1410 healthcare payments relative to the control cohort ( n = 392, 639; P < 0.001). WC days/payments were similar. Differences were partially driven by an association between opioid use, increased STD days/payments, and healthcare payments observed in pooled cohorts ( P < 0.001). Conclusions: OA is associated with high STD days/payments and healthcare payments. Opioid use significantly contributes to these and this should be considered when choosing treatment.