Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research article

Which aspects of health differ between working and nonworking women with fibromyalgia? A cross-sectional study of work status and health

Authors: Annie Palstam, Jan L Bjersing, Kaisa Mannerkorpi

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2012

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Women with fibromyalgia (FM) describe great difficulties in managing work. Reported work ability in women with FM varies from 34 to 77 percent in studies from different countries. Many factors are suggested to affect the ability to work in women with FM, including pain, fatigue, impaired physical capacity and activity limitations. However, it is difficult to define to which extent symptom severity can be compatible with work. The aim of this study was to investigate which aspects of health differ between working women with FM and nonworking women with FM.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 129 women of working age with FM which included clinical assessment, structured interviews, questionnaires and performance-based tests. The women were categorized as working or nonworking. Aspects of health are presented according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Results

Working women with FM presented better health than nonworking women with FM in ratings of body function (FIQ pain p < 0.001, FIQ fatigue p = 0.006, FIQ stiffness p = 0.009, HADS-Depression p = 0.007). Ratings of overall health status were also significantly better in working women with FM than in nonworking women with FM (FIQ total, eight-item p = 0.001 and SF-36 PCS p < 0.001). No significant differences were found between working- and nonworking women in tests of physical capacity. FIQ pain was an independent explanatory factor for work in stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis (OR 0.95, CI 0.93- 0.98), p < 0.001.

Conclusion

Working women with FM reported better health than nonworking women with FM in terms of pain, fatigue, stiffness, depression, disease specific health status and physical aspects of quality of life, which represent body functions and overall health status. However, they were equally impaired in tests of physical capacity. Moderate pain levels were compatible with work, while severe pain appeared to compromise work. Fatigue was better tolerated, as women scoring severe levels of fatigue worked.
Literature
1.
Wolfe F, Smythe HA, Yunus MB, Bennett RM, Bombardier C, Goldenberg DL, Tugwell P, Campbell SM, Abeles M, Clark P, et al: The american college of rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia. Report of the multicenter criteria committee. Arthritis Rheum. 1990, 33: 160-172. 10.1002/art.1780330203.CrossRefPubMed
2.
Wolfe F, Ross K, Anderson J, Russell IJ, Hebert L: The prevalence and characteristics of fibromyalgia in the general population. Arthritis Rheum. 1995, 38: 19-28. 10.1002/art.1780380104.CrossRefPubMed
3.
Henriksson C, Grundmark I, Bengtsson A, Ek AC: Living with fibromyalgia. Consequences for everyday life. Clin J Pain. 1992, 8: 138-144. 10.1097/00002508-199206000-00012.CrossRefPubMed
4.
Mannerkorpi K, Burchkardt CS, Bjelle A: Physical performance characteristics of women with fibromyalgia. Arthritis Care Res. 1994, 7: 123-129. 10.1002/art.1790070305.CrossRefPubMed
5.
Lindell L, Bergman S, Petersson IF, Jacobsson LTH, Herrström P: Prevalence of fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain. Scand J Prim Health Care. 2000, 18: 149-153. 10.1080/028134300453340.CrossRefPubMed
6.
White KP, Speechley M, Harth M, Ostbye T: Comparing self-reported function and work disability in 100 community cases of fibromyalgia syndrome versus controls in London, Ontario: The London fibromyalgia epidemiology study. Arthritis Rheum. 1999, 42 (1): 76-83. 10.1002/1529-0131(199901)42:1<76::AID-ANR10>3.0.CO;2-G.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Annemans L, Le Lay K, Taieb C: Societal and patient burden of fibromyalgia syndrome. PharmacoEconomics. 2009, 27 (7): 547-559. 10.2165/11313650-000000000-00000.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Henriksson CM, Liedberg GM, Gerdle B: Women with fibromyalgia: work and rehabilitation. Disabil Rehabil. 2005, 27 (12): 685-695. 10.1080/09638280400009089.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Reisine S, Fifield J, Walsh SJ, Feinn R: Do employment and family work affect the health status of women with fibromyalgia?. J Rheumatol. 2003, 30 (9): 2045-2053.PubMed
10.
Wolfe F, Anderson J, Harkness D, Bennett RM, Caro XJ, Goldenberg DL, Russell IJ, Yunus MB: Work and disability status of persons with fibromyalgia. J Rheumatol. 1997, 24 (6): 1171-1178.PubMed
11.
Sallinen M, Kukkurainen ML, Peltokallio L, Mikkelsson M: Women’s narratives on experiences of work ability and functioning in fibromyalgia. Musculoskeletal Care. 2010, 8 (1): 18-26. 10.1002/msc.162.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Löfgren M, Ekholm J, Öhman A: ”A constant struggle”: Successful strategies of women in work despite fibromyalgia. Disabil Rehabil. 2006, 28 (7): 447-455. 10.1080/09638280500197891.CrossRefPubMed
13.
Liedberg GM, Henriksson CM: Factors of importance for work disability in women with fibromyalgia: an interview study. Arthritis Care Res. 2002, 47 (3): 266-274. 10.1002/art.10454.CrossRef
14.
Mannerkorpi K, Nordeman L, Ericsson A, Arndorw M: Pool exercise for patients with fibromyalgia or chronic widespread pain: a randomized controlled trial and subgroup analyses. J Rehabil Med. 2009, 41 (9): 751-760. 10.2340/16501977-0409.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Kosek E, Ekholm J, Hansson P: Sensory dysfunction in fibromyalgia patients with implications for pathogenic mechanisms. Pain. 1996, 68: 375-383. 10.1016/S0304-3959(96)03188-0.CrossRefPubMed
16.
World Health Organization: ICF: international classification of functioning, disability and health. 2001, Geneva: WHO
17.
Hedin PJ, Hamne M, Burckhardt CS, Engström-Laurent A: The fibromyalgia impact questionnaire, a swedish translation of a new tool for evaluation of the fibromyalgia patient. Scand J Rheumatol. 1995, 24: 69-75. 10.3109/03009749509099287.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Prodinger B, Cieza A, Williams DA, Mease P, Boonen A, Kerschan-Schindl K, et al: Measuring health in patients with fibromyalgia:content comparison of questionnaires based on the international classification of functioning,disability and health. Arthritis Care Res. 2008, 59 (5): 650-658. 10.1002/art.23559.CrossRef
19.
Gjesfjeld CD, Greeno CG, Kim KH: A confirmatory factor analysis of an abbreviated social support instrument: The MOS-SSS. Res Soc Work Pract. 2008, 18: 231-237.CrossRef
20.
Nordenskiold UM, Grimby G: Grip force in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia and in healthy subjects. A study with the Grippit instrument. Scand J Rheumatol. 1993, 22 (1): 14-19. 10.3109/03009749309095105.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Mannerkorpi K, Svantesson U, Carlsson J, Ekdahl C: Tests of functional limitations in fibromyalgia syndrome: a reliability study. Arthritis Care Res. 1999, 12 (3): 193-199. 10.1002/1529-0131(199906)12:3<193::AID-ART6>3.0.CO;2-N.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Brooks D, Solway S, Gibbons WJ: ATS statement on six-minute walk test. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2003, 167 (9): 1287-CrossRefPubMed
23.
Bergman S, Herrström P, Högström K, Peterson IF, Svensson B, Jacobsson LT: Chronic musculoskeletal pain, prevalence rates, and sociodemographic associations in Swedish population study. J Rheumatol. 2001, 28: 1369-1377.PubMed
24.
Herrmann C: International experiences with the hospital anxiety and depression scale – a review of validation data and clinical results. J Psychosom Res. 1996, 42: 17-41.CrossRef
25.
Smets EM, Garssen B, Bonke B, De Haes JC: The multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI). psychometric qualities of an instrument to assess fatigue. J Psychosom Res. 1995, 39: 15-25.CrossRef
26.
Ericsson A, Mannerkorpi K: Assessment of fatigue in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain. Reliability and validity of the swedish version of the MFI-20. Disabil Rehabil. 2007, 30: 1665-1670.CrossRef
27.
Mannerkorpi K, Hernelid C: Leisure time physical activity instrument and physical activity at home and work instrument. Development, face validity, construct validity and test-retest reliability for subjects with fibromyalgia. Disabil Rehabil. 2005, 27: 695-701. 10.1080/09638280400009063.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Ware JJ, Sherbourne C: The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF36). I. Conceptual framework and item selection. Med Care. 1992, 30: 473-483. 10.1097/00005650-199206000-00002.CrossRefPubMed
29.
30.
Henriksson C, Liedberg G: Factors of importance for work disability in women with fibromyalgia. J Rheumatol. 2000, 27 (5): 1271-1276.PubMed
31.
Engström LG, Janson S: Predictors of work presence–Sickness absence in a salutogenic perspective. Work. 2009, 33 (3): 287-295.PubMed
32.
Bossema ER, Kool MB, Cornet D, Vermaas P, de Jong M, van Middendorp H, Geenen R: Characteristics of suitable work from the perspective of patients with fibromyalgia. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2012, 51 (2): 311-318. 10.1093/rheumatology/ker312.CrossRef
33.
Yelin E: Work disability in rheumatic diseases. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2007, 19 (2): 91-96. 10.1097/BOR.0b013e3280126b66.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Bennett R: The fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ): a review of its development, current version, operating characteristics and uses. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2005, 23 (5 Suppl 39): S154-S162.PubMed
35.
Ödegård S, Finset A, Kvien TK, Mowinckel P, Uhlig T: Work disability in rheumatoid arthritis is predicted by physical and psychological health status: a 7-year study from the Oslo RA register. Scand J Rheumatol. 2005, 34: 441-447. 10.1080/03009740510018633.CrossRefPubMed
36.
37.
Kurtze N, Gundersen KT, Svebak S: The impact of perceived physical dysfunction, health-related habits, and affective symptoms on employment status among fibromyalgia support group members. J Muscoskel Pain. 2001, 9 (2): 39-53. 10.1300/J094v09n02_04.CrossRef
38.
Reisine S, Fifield J, Walsh S, Forrest DD: Employment and health status changes among women with fibromyalgia: a five-year study. Arthritis Rheum. 2008, 59 (12): 1735-1741. 10.1002/art.24309.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
39.
Taft C, Karlsson J, Sullivan M: Performance of the Swedish SF-36 version 2.0. Qual Life Res. 2004, 13 (1): 251-256.CrossRefPubMed
40.
Baker K, Pope J, Fortin P, Silverman E, Peschken C: Work disability in systemic lupus erythematosus is prevalent and associated with socio-demographic and disease related factors. Lupus. 2009, 18: 1281-1288. 10.1177/0961203309345784.CrossRefPubMed
41.
Atroshi I, Andersson IH, Gummesson C, Leden I, Odenbring S, Ornstein E: Primary care patients with musculoskeletal pain. Scand J Rheumatol. 2002, 31: 239-244. 10.1080/030097402320318440.CrossRefPubMed
42.
Li C-Y, Sung E-C: A review of the healthy worker effect in occupational epidemiology. Occup Med. 1999, 49 (4): 225-229. 10.1093/occmed/49.4.225.CrossRef
43.
Krantz G, Ostergren PO: Common symptoms in middle aged women: their relation to employment status, psychosocial work conditions and social support in a Swedish setting. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2000, 54 (3): 192-199. 10.1136/jech.54.3.192.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
44.
Dew MA, Bromet EJ, Penkower L: Mental health effects of job loss in women. Psychol Med. 1992, 22 (3): 751-764. 10.1017/S0033291700038198.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Which aspects of health differ between working and nonworking women with fibromyalgia? A cross-sectional study of work status and health
Authors
Annie Palstam
Jan L Bjersing
Kaisa Mannerkorpi
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-1076

Other articles of this Issue 1/2012

BMC Public Health 1/2012 Go to the issue

Research article

Interaction between physical activity and sleep duration in relation to insulin resistance among non-diabetic Chinese adults

Research article

Pulmonary function, respiratory symptoms, and dust exposures among workers engaged in early manufacturing processes of tea: a cohort study

Research article

The spatial epidemiology of tuberculosis in Linyi City, China, 2005–2010

Study protocol

Sustained employability of workers in a production environment: design of a stepped wedge trial to evaluate effectiveness and cost-benefit of the POSE program

Research article

Experimenting with cigarettes and physical activity among Mexican origin youth: a cross sectional analysis of the interdependent associations among sensation seeking, acculturation, and gender

Research article

Measuring women's perceived ability to overcome barriers to healthcare seeking in Burkina Faso