Fibromyalgia onset has a high impact on work ability in Australians

Abstract

A community pilot survey of Australians with FM indicates a high impact on work ability. This occurs from symptom onset and often before diagnosis. Early diagnosis and intervention may provide a window of opportunity to prevent work disability in FM.

Work Ability in Fibromyalgia: An Update in the 21st Century

“…A recently published epidemiological survey of people with FM in Spain found that 11% were on sick-leave, and 23% had permanent work disability pension due to FM [ 51 ]. Similarly, a community survey of Australians with FM found that 35% received financial support relating to work disability due to FM [ 52 ]. In line with this, recent studies of work disability in North America have found disability rates of 30% in Canadian patients with FM [ 53 ], and 35% in patients with FM in the USA [ 54 ].…”

Fibromialgia en Trabajo: explorando su Impacto en el Desempeño Laboral

“…Cuando la depresión surge como uno de los síntomas de la fibromialgia podría posibilitar la reducción de la participación y el desempeño laboral (Kassam & Patten, 2006;Rakovski et al, 2012). Es importante puntualizar y reconocer que la severidad de los síntomas limita la habilidad para realizar actividades laborales, por ende es muy difícil mantener un desempeño normal (Guymer, Littlejohn, Brand & Kwiatek, 2016;Palstam & Mannerkorpi, 2017;Sallinen, Kukkurainen, Peltokallio, & Mikkelsson, 2009). …”

“…Estas recomendaciones van a la par con los hallazgos de Rakovski et al (2012), quienes señalan que existe una probabilidad de que las personas con fibromialgia modifiquen las condiciones laborales y en ocasiones sus carreras para poder ajustarlas a su enfermedad. Para esto es importante el reconocimiento temprano del impacto de la fibromialgia en el trabajo, debido a que posibilita el manejo inmediato de la situación, lo cual a su vez ayuda a reducir el efecto perjudicial que podría provocar (Guymer et al, 2016). Es fundamental que quienes viven con fibromialgia soliciten modificaciones o cambios en el trabajo y que el patrono este informado sobre las responsabilidades y posibilidades de adquirir fondos que hagan del trabajo uno adecuado (Bossema et al, 2012).…”

Treatment of fibromyalgia

“…1,9,10,28 As the medical management of fibromyalgia is often only partially successful, 2 health professionals need to give patients sustained support to become expert, active self-managers. This is the most important of all interventions to enable successful living with this debilitating multidimensional disorder.…”

“…It affects 2% of the population with a peak incidence in middle-aged women. 1 Despite an incomplete understanding of its pathogenesis, there is increasing evidence for mechanism-based management approaches to this syndrome. 2,3 These are likely to be more effective if introduced early, making timely diagnosis in general practice even more important.…”