Burden of Fibromyalgia and Comparisons With Osteoarthritis in the Workforce

• DOI: 10.1097/jom.0b013e3181bb808b
• Publication Date: 2009-12-04T08:16:39Z
• Authors: Nathan Kleinman; James Harnett; Arthur Melkonian; Wendy Lynch; Barbara Kaplan-Ma...; Stuart L. Silverman
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Fibromyalgia; Databases, Factual; Health Care Costs; Middle Aged; United States; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Cost of Illness; Absenteeism; Osteoarthritis; 8. Economic growth; Prevalence; Humans; Regression Analysis; Female; Workplace

Objectives: To calculate the fibromyalgia (FM) burden of illness (BOI) from employer perspective and to compare annual prevalence, work output, absence, health benefit costs employees with FM versus osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Retrospective regression model analysis comparing objective total (health care, prescription drug, sick leave, disability, workers' compensation) costs, absence days for FM, OA NoFM cohorts, while controlling differences in patient characteristics. Results: prevalence was 0.73%; 0.90%. Total were $8452 $11,253 (P < 0.0001) $4013 NoFM, BOI = $4439. 16.8 19.8 6.4 0.0001), respectively. had significantly lower output than (19.5%, P 0.003) but comparable OA. Conclusion: places a significant cost, productivity on employers.