Introduction. Organ transplantation is increased in Italy over the last decade. Thus, an increasing number of workers may face the problem of returning to work in an adequate task. The aim of this study is to provide an assessment of working ability of transplant recipients in comparison with their actual employment status. Methods. This study is based on 150 patients transplanted since 1994 onwards, who underwent a periodic post-transplant examination during 2012. Fifty patients who had undergone heart transplantation (HT), 50 liver transplantation (LT) and 50 kidney transplantation (KT) and survived at least 12 months after surgery were eligible for this study. All patients underwent the International Classification of Functioning , Disabilities and Health (ICF) questionnaire; ten questions were further applied to those who were employed at the time of the study. X2 statistics was used to compare working ability evaluation and employment status and for internal comparison among different organ recipients. Results. The employment status was as follows: 92 (61%) patients were in paid employment, six (4%) were students or housewives, 36 (24%) were unemployed and 17 (11%) were retired because of invalidity benefits. According to our fitness evaluation there were only 4% to 10% of the patients unfit for any job. Where excluding retired subjects the X2 statistics for correlated observations showed a highly significant statistical difference (p-value < 0,0001) between unemployed and unfit. As a results of ICF questionnaire administration there was a marked difference, though not statistically significant, in the fitness for previously performed job between KT and LT recipients (62% and 58% respectively) and HT recipients (42%). Discussion and Conclusion. In this cross-sectional study we found a relatively high rate of unemployment as compared to the working ability evaluation by ICF questionnaire and other questions. This may be due to several factors including health status and the possibility of gaining an adequate job. The ICF questionnaire proved to be a useful framework which can be used for research but also by occupational physicians in their usual practice after a specific training.
Return to work after organ transplantation: a cross-sectional study on working ability evaluation and employment status
FERRARIO, Alessia;VERGA, FEDERICA CRISTINA;PIOLATTO, Pier Giorgio;PIRA, Enrico
2014-01-01
Abstract
Introduction. Organ transplantation is increased in Italy over the last decade. Thus, an increasing number of workers may face the problem of returning to work in an adequate task. The aim of this study is to provide an assessment of working ability of transplant recipients in comparison with their actual employment status. Methods. This study is based on 150 patients transplanted since 1994 onwards, who underwent a periodic post-transplant examination during 2012. Fifty patients who had undergone heart transplantation (HT), 50 liver transplantation (LT) and 50 kidney transplantation (KT) and survived at least 12 months after surgery were eligible for this study. All patients underwent the International Classification of Functioning , Disabilities and Health (ICF) questionnaire; ten questions were further applied to those who were employed at the time of the study. X2 statistics was used to compare working ability evaluation and employment status and for internal comparison among different organ recipients. Results. The employment status was as follows: 92 (61%) patients were in paid employment, six (4%) were students or housewives, 36 (24%) were unemployed and 17 (11%) were retired because of invalidity benefits. According to our fitness evaluation there were only 4% to 10% of the patients unfit for any job. Where excluding retired subjects the X2 statistics for correlated observations showed a highly significant statistical difference (p-value < 0,0001) between unemployed and unfit. As a results of ICF questionnaire administration there was a marked difference, though not statistically significant, in the fitness for previously performed job between KT and LT recipients (62% and 58% respectively) and HT recipients (42%). Discussion and Conclusion. In this cross-sectional study we found a relatively high rate of unemployment as compared to the working ability evaluation by ICF questionnaire and other questions. This may be due to several factors including health status and the possibility of gaining an adequate job. The ICF questionnaire proved to be a useful framework which can be used for research but also by occupational physicians in their usual practice after a specific training.
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