P-038 EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

• Published in: Occupational medicine (Oxford) Vol. 74; no. Supplement_1
• Main Authors: Nakhli, Rania, Kacem, Imene, Abiadh, R, Hassine, Anis, Chaima, Sridi, Chelly, Farah, Maoua, Maher, Amor, Sana Ben, Mrizak, Nejib
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 05-07-2024
• ISSN: 0962-7480; 1471-8405
• DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqae023.0492

Abstract Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS)is a chronic inflammatory,demyelinating and degenerative disease of the nervous system.It leads to a progressive loss of neurological function and is the leading cause of chronic neurological disability in young adults resulting in job loss, problems with the employer and co-workers,personal changes in attitudes towards work,and diminished physical capacity. Aim Determine the occupational fate of MS patients and factors associated with job retention. Methods A cross sectional analytic study which enrolled all cases of MS during the period 2015-2020 selected according to Mc Donald criteria at the neurology department of Sahloul University Hospital and 130 controls matched for age gender and age. Patients enrolled in the study were contacted by phone to answer the questionnaire. Results We enrolled 65 MS patients during the study period. The mean age was 38.4 ±6.7 years,a sex ratio of 0.38.The majority of the cases worked in the agriculture sector (23.1%),followed by the health sector (15.4%).The mean length of seniority was 13.8 ±8.5 years at the time of the study,23.7% of patients were unemployed.Job retention was reported in 63.07%of cases and MS was the cause of work stoppage during the first year in 15 cases (23.07%).Job change and accommodation were noted in 6.15% of cases. Return to work was associated with age (p=0.005),income over a thousand dinars(p=0.004),low exposure (p=0.012)and expanded disability status scale(p=0.01). Discussion and Conclusion MS has an important occupational impact.Therefore,it seems essential that the management of this chronic disease includes the adaptation of working conditions to the abilities of the patients and an early and multidisciplinary approach.