Top

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

Published in:

Open Access 01-10-2008 | Original Article

The role of illness perceptions in labor participation of the chronically ill

Authors: Cécile R. L. Boot, Monique Heijmans, Joost W. J. van der Gulden, Mieke Rijken

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 1/2008

Abstract

Objective

We aimed to investigate associations between work disability and illness perceptions, over and above medical assessment and self-reported health.

Methods

A representative sample of people aged 15–64 years with various chronic physical diseases was derived from the Panel of Patients with Chronic Diseases in the Netherlands. In this group, 189 patients were fully work-disabled and 363 were employed. In this cross-sectional study, associations between medical health status stated by the general practitioner, self-reported health, and illness perceptions about the consequences of the illness, the timeline (cyclical vs. chronical), control (treatment and personal), coherence and three causal dimensions (psychological, risk factors and immunity) and work disability were investigated. These associations were investigated in three separate steps using multivariate logistic regression analyses, with the employed patients as a reference group. All models were corrected for age, sex, and level of education.

Results

In the second multivariate model containing medical health status and self-perceived health, complete work disability was significantly associated with more fatigue (OR 2.42), more self-perceived functional limitations (OR 11.94), higher age, female sex, and lower education. Medical health status was not significantly associated with work disability. After adding illness perceptions to this model, the percentage of explained variance for work disability increased from 65 to 77%. In this final model, work disability was significantly associated with the patient’s perception that the consequences of the disease were more severe (OR 5.34), and also with more self-perceived functional limitations (OR 14.27), lower education, being female, and a higher age. Illness perceptions and self-reported health status were significantly associated with work disability.

Conclusion

We conclude that illness perceptions are significantly associated with work disability in the chronically ill. Self-reported health is more strongly associated with work disability than the assessment of health status by the physician.

Baanders AN, Rijken PM, Peters L (2002) Labour participation of the chronically ill. A profile sketch. Eur J Public Health 12:124–130PubMedCrossRef

Blanc PD, Cisternas M, Smith S, Yelin EH (1996) Asthma, employment status, and disability among adults treated by pulmonary and allergy specialists. Chest 109:688–696PubMedCrossRef

Boot CR (2004) Sick leave in asthma and COPD; the role of the disease, adaptation, work, psychosocial factors and knowledge. University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen

Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (1998) Vademecum health statistics of the Netherlands. Staatsuitgeverij, ‘s-Gravenhage

Cuelunaere B, Veerman TJ, Prins R, Giezen AM van der (1999) In distant mirrors. Work incapacity and return to work. A study of low back pain patients in the Netherlands and five other countries. CTSV, Zoetermeer

Erickson SR, Kirking DM (2002) A cross-sectional analysis of work-related outcomes in adults with asthma. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 88:292–300PubMedCrossRef

Ferrucci L, Baldasseroni S, Bandinelli S, de Alfieri W, Cartei A, Calvani D, Baldini A, Masotti G, Marchionni N (2000) Disease severity and health-related quality of life across different chronic conditions. J Am Geriatr Soc 48:1490–1495PubMed

Field A (2000) Discovering statistics: using SPSS for windows. SAGE Publications, London

Hampson SE, Glasgow RE, Zeiss AM (1994) Personal models of osteoarthritis and their relation to self-management activities and quality of life. J Behav Med 17:143–158PubMedCrossRef

Heijmans M (1998a) Cognitive representations of chronic disease. An empirical study among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and Addinson’s disease. University of Utrecht, Utrecht

Heijmans M, Foets M, Rijken M, Schreurs K, de Ridder D, Bensing J (2001) Stress in chronic disease: do the perceptions of patients and their general practitioners match? Br J Health Psychol 6:229–242PubMedCrossRef

Heijmans M, Spreeuwenburg P, and Rijken PM (2005) Kerngegevens maatschappelijke situatie 2004. Patiëntenpanel Chronisch Zieken. Nivel – Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht

Heijmans MJ (1998b) Coping and adaptive outcome in chronic fatigue syndrome: importance of illness cognitions. J Psychosom Res 45:39–51PubMedCrossRef

Horne R, Clatworthy J, Polmear A, Weinman J (2001) Do hypertensive patients’ beliefs about their illness and treatment influence medication adherence and quality of life? J Hum Hypertens 15:S65–S68PubMedCrossRef

Koopman F, Edelaar M, Slikker R, Van der Woude L, Hoozemans M (2004) Effectiveness of a multidisciplinary occupational training program for chronic low back pain: a prospective cohort study. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 83:94–103PubMedCrossRef

Leventhal H, Benyamini Y, Brownlee S, Diefenbach M, Leventhal E, Patrick-Miller L, Robitaille C (1997) Illness represntations: theoretical foundation. In: Petrie KJ, Weinman J (eds) Perceptions of health and illness: current research and applications. Harwood Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, pp 19–45

Leventhal H, Nerenz DR, Steele DS (1984) Illness representations and coping with health threats. In: Baum A, Taylor SE, Singer JE (eds) Handbook of psychology and health. Erlbaum, Hillsdale, pp 219–252

Marks R, Allegrante JP, Lorig K (2005a) A review and synthesis of research evidence for self-efficacy-enhancing interventions for reducing chronic disability: implications for health education practice (part I). Health Promot Pract 6:37–43PubMedCrossRef

Marks R, Allegrante JP, Lorig K (2005b) A review and synthesis of research evidence for self-efficacy-enhancing interventions for reducing chronic disability: implications for health education practice (part II). Health Promot Pract 6:148–156PubMedCrossRef

Moons P, Van Deyk K, De Geest S, Gewillig M, Budts W (2005) Is the severity of congenital heart disease associated with the quality of life and perceived health of adult patients? Heart 91:1193–1198PubMedCrossRef

Moss-Morris R, Petrie KJ, Weinman J (1996) Functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome: do illness perceptions play a regulatory role? Br J Health Psychol 1:15–25

Moss-Morris R, Weinman J, Petrie KJ, Horne R, Cameron LD, Buick D (2002) The revised illness perception questionnaire (IPQ-R). Psychol Health 17:1–16CrossRef

NCCZ (1995) Werk op maat: advies arbeidsmarktpositie van mensen met chronische gezondheidsproblemen (work in perspective: recommendations regarding the labour market position of people with chronic health problems). Zoetermeer, NCCZ

Petrie KJ, Weinman J, Sharpe N, Buckley J (1996) Role of patients’ view of their illness in predicting return to work and functioning after myocardial infarction: longitudinal study. BMJ 312:1191–1194PubMed

Petrie KJ, Weinman JA (1997) Perceptions of health & illness. Harwood Academic Publishers, Amsterdam

Pfingsten M, Hildebrandt J, Leibing E, Franz C, Saur P (1997) Effectiveness of a multidmodal treatment program for chronic low-back pain. Pain 73:77–85PubMedCrossRef

Pimm TJ, Weinman J (1998) Applying Leventhal’s self-regulation model to adaptation and intervention in rheumatic disease. Clin Psychol Psychother 5:62–75CrossRef

Pinder R (1995) Bringing back the body without the blame? The experience of ill and disabled people at work. Sociol Health Illness 17:605–631CrossRef

Rijken M, Van Kerkhof M, Dekker J, Schellevis FG (2005) Comorbidity of chronic diseases: effects of disease pairs on physical and mental functioning. Qual Life Res 14:45–55PubMedCrossRef

Van der Giezen AM, Cuelenaere B, Prins R (1998) Vrouwen vaker in de WAO? (work-incapacity in females). Bureau Astri, Leiden

Van Manen JG, Bindels PJ, Ijzermans CJ, van der Zee JS, Bottema BJ, Schade E (2001) Prevalence of comorbidity in patients with a chronic airway obstruction and controls over the age of 40. J Clin Epidemiol 54:287–293PubMedCrossRef

Ware NC (1998) Sociosomatics and illness in chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychosom Med 60:394–401PubMed

Wensing M, Vingerhoets E, Grol R (2001) Functional status, health problems, age and comorbidity in primary care patients. Qual Life Res 10:141–148PubMedCrossRef

Wijnhoven HA, Kriegsman DM, Hesselink AE, Penninx BW, de Haan M (2001) Determinants of different dimensions of disease severity in asthma and COPD: pulmonary function and health-related quality of life. Chest 119:1034–1042PubMedCrossRef

Title: The role of illness perceptions in labor participation of the chronically ill
Authors: Cécile R. L. Boot
Monique Heijmans
Joost W. J. van der Gulden
Mieke Rijken
Publication date: 01-10-2008
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 1/2008
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-007-0298-5

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

The role of illness perceptions in labor participation of the chronically ill

Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2008

Biological tolerance values: change in a paradigm concept from assessment of a single value to use of an average

Sick building syndrome in relation to air exchange rate, CO2, room temperature and relative air humidity in university computer classrooms: an experimental study

Persistent cognitive functioning deficits in operating rooms: two cases

Work stress and reduced health in young physicians: prospective evidence from Swiss residents

Levels of 1-hydroxypyrene, symptoms and immunologic markers in vulcanization workers in the southern Sweden rubber industries

Effect of an EBM course in combination with case method learning sessions: an RCT on professional performance, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy of occupational physicians