The effect of autoimmune blistering diseases on work productivity

Background Autoimmune blistering diseases (AIBD) are known to negatively impact upon quality of life (QoL); however, there is a paucity of research on the effect of AIBD on work productivity. AIBD can be quite disfiguring in terms of a patient's appearance due to their blistering nature. Object...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Vol. 32; no. 11; pp. 1959 - 1966
Main Authors:	Wang, E.Q., Radjenovic, M., Castrillón, M.A., Feng, G.H.Y., Murrell, D.F.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England 01-11-2018
Subjects:	Absenteeism Adult Autoimmune Diseases - diagnosis Autoimmune Diseases - psychology Cross-Sectional Studies Efficiency Female Humans Male Middle Aged Quality of Life Severity of Illness Index Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous - diagnosis Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous - immunology Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous - psychology Statistics, Nonparametric Surveys and Questionnaires Task Performance and Analysis Work
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Summary:	Background Autoimmune blistering diseases (AIBD) are known to negatively impact upon quality of life (QoL); however, there is a paucity of research on the effect of AIBD on work productivity. AIBD can be quite disfiguring in terms of a patient's appearance due to their blistering nature. Objective To determine the impact of AIBD on work productivity and to determine whether patients are stigmatized at work due to their appearance. Methods Sixty‐one patients with AIBD completed the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire‐Specific Health Problem (WPAIQ‐SHP), the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), the Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (ABQOL) and the Treatment of Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life questionnaires (TABQOL). Results Non‐responders to treatment had more work and activity impairment compared to responders. Worse WPAIQ‐SHP scores were correlated with higher ABQOL, TABQOL and DLQI scores. Approximately 14.8% of subjects experienced stigmatization at work due to their appearance. The most common body areas stigmatized were easily visible sites, particularly the hands, arms and feet, with the majority of occurrences related to co‐workers; for some patients, this stigmatization occurred on a daily basis. Loss of productivity at work was statistically much higher in those with higher disease severity, ABQOL & TABQOL scores and in non‐responders to treatment. Conclusion Autoimmune blistering diseases negatively impacts upon work productivity and activity. Stigmatization was common in the workplace which leads to increased stress, itself a stimulator of pemphigus.
Bibliography:	Conflicts of interest None of the authors have conflict of interests. Funding The Independent Learning Programme (ILP) of the University of New South Wales (EQW); Premier Dermatology R&D (MR), The Australasian Blistering Diseases Foundation and the Endeavour Trust (MAC). ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0926-9959 1468-3083
DOI:	10.1111/jdv.15062