PSORIASIS AND PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS PATIENT PRODUCTIVITY BURDEN IN THE UNITED STATES

Purpose: Limited data exist describing the current productivity burden for psoriasis (PsO) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA), relative to other diseases, in the United States (U.S.).  The purpose of this study was to describe the productivity burden of PsO or PsA, for patients residing in the U.S., relative to other costly diseases.

Method: Data were generated from the U.S. Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Recontact Study, administered February-March 2009 and May-June 2010. Study participants were recruited from an Internet panel, aged ≥18 yrs, employed currently or within the past 2 years, and self-identified as having physician-diagnosed atrial fibrillation (afib), neck/lower back pain (pain), PsO, PsA, or stroke. Absenteeism (% work time missed due to condition in past 7 seven days), presenteeism (% impairment while working due to condition), work productivity loss (WPL- % overall work impairment due to condition), and activity impairment (% activity impairment due to condition) were measured with the WPAI Scale. Higher scores indicated greater impact of the condition on productivity/activity. Absenteeism, presenteeism, and overall work impairment costs were calculated.

Result: A total of 1,934 patients, employed in the U.S., completed the survey (afib n=319; pain n=504; PsO n=498; PsA n=347; and stroke n=266). PsO patients had higher mean presenteeism, WPL, and activity impairment scores compared to afib patients. PsA patients had higher mean WPAI scores, across all domains, compared to patients with afib or stroke. Mean PsO absenteeism costs ($2,350) were lower than afib ($3,358), pain ($6,755), or stroke ($3,652). Mean PsA absenteeism costs ($5,748) were higher than afib or stroke. Mean PsO presenteeism costs ($9,440) were higher than afib ($5,915) or stroke ($9,004), but lower than pain ($13,181). Mean PsA presenteeism costs ($11,665) were also higher than afib or stroke. Mean PsO overall work impairment costs ($11,790) were higher than afib ($9,273) and lower than pain ($19,935) or stroke ($12,656). Mean PsA overall work impairment costs ($17,413) were higher than afib or stroke.

Conclusion: Psoriasis patients reported more of an economic presenteeism burden relative to afib or stroke. Psoriatic arthritis patients reported an increased economic productivity burden across absenteeism, presenteeism, and overall work impairment relative to afib or stroke.