OMERACT Filter Evidence Supporting the Measurement of At-work Productivity Loss as an Outcome Measure in Rheumatology Research

Dorcas E Beaton; Sarah Dyer; Annelies Boonen; Suzanne M M Verstappen; Reuben Escorpizo; Diane V Lacaille; Ailsa Bosworth; Monique A M Gignac; Amye Leong; Oana Purcaru; Sarah Leggett; Cathy Hofstetter; Ingemar F Peterson; Kenneth Tang; Bruno Fautrel; Claire Bombardier; Peter S Tugwell

doi:10.3899/jrheum.141077

OMERACT Filter Evidence Supporting the Measurement of At-work Productivity Loss as an Outcome Measure in Rheumatology Research

J Rheumatol. 2016 Jan;43(1):214-22. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.141077. Epub 2015 Sep 1.

Authors

Dorcas E Beaton¹, Sarah Dyer¹, Annelies Boonen¹, Suzanne M M Verstappen¹, Reuben Escorpizo¹, Diane V Lacaille¹, Ailsa Bosworth¹, Monique A M Gignac¹, Amye Leong¹, Oana Purcaru¹, Sarah Leggett¹, Cathy Hofstetter¹, Ingemar F Peterson¹, Kenneth Tang¹, Bruno Fautrel¹, Claire Bombardier¹, Peter S Tugwell¹

Affiliation

¹ From the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Arthritis Research UK Epidemiology Unit, University of Manchester; Manchester, UK; Bone and Joint Decade, the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health, Santa Barbara, California, USA; Consumer Advisory Council, Canadian Arthritis Network, Canada; Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science, The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA; Department of Rheumatology, Pierre et Marie Curie University (UPMC - Paris 6), APHP Pitié-Salpétriêre Hospital, Paris, France; Department of Rheumatology, Skåne University Hospital, Malmo; Department of Orthopedics, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Division of Rheumatology, Maastricht University Medical Center, and CAPHRI Research Institute, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Division of Rheumatology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Health Economics, GMAP, Immunology, UCB BioPharma SPRL, Brussells, Belgium; Institute for Work and Health; Musculoskeletal Health and Outcomes Research, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK; Toronto General Research Institute at the University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.D. Lacaille holds the Mary Pack Chair in Arthritis Research from The Arthritis Society of Canada and the University of British Columbia. C. Bombardier holds a Canada Research Chair in Knowledge Transfer for Musculoskeletal Care and a Pfizer Chair in Rheumatology, University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine's Rheumatology Division.D.E. Beaton, PhD, Musculoskeletal Health and Outcomes Research, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, and Institute for Work and Health, and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Rehabilitation Sciences Institute,

PMID: 26329339
DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.141077

Abstract

Objective: Indicators of work role functioning (being at work, and being productive while at work) are important outcomes for persons with arthritis. As the worker productivity working group at OMERACT (Outcome Measures in Rheumatology), we sought to provide an evidence base for consensus on standardized instruments to measure worker productivity [both absenteeism and at-work productivity (presenteeism) as well as critical contextual factors].

Methods: Literature reviews and primary studies were done and reported to the OMERACT 12 (2014) meeting to build the OMERACT Filter 2.0 evidence for worker productivity outcome measurement instruments. Contextual factor domains that could have an effect on scores on worker productivity instruments were identified by nominal group techniques, and strength of influence was further assessed by literature review.

Results: At OMERACT 9 (2008), we identified 6 candidate measures of absenteeism, which received 94% endorsement at the plenary vote. At OMERACT 11 (2012) we received over the required minimum vote of 70% for endorsement of 2 at-work productivity loss measures. During OMERACT 12 (2014), out of 4 measures of at-work productivity loss, 3 (1 global; 2 multiitem) received support as having passed the OMERACT Filter with over 70% of the plenary vote. In addition, 3 contextual factor domains received a 95% vote to explore their validity as core contextual factors: nature of work, work accommodation, and workplace support.

Conclusion: Our current recommendations for at-work productivity loss measures are: WALS (Workplace Activity Limitations Scale), WLQ PDmod (Work Limitations Questionnaire with modified physical demands scale), WAI (Work Ability Index), WPS (Arthritis-specific Work Productivity Survey), and WPAI (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire). Our future research focus will shift to confirming core contextual factors to consider in the measurement of worker productivity.

Keywords: ARTHRITIS; AT-WORK PRODUCTIVITY LOSS; EMPLOYMENT; OUTCOME MEASURES; RHEUMATOLOGY; WORKER PRODUCTIVITY.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Absenteeism*
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / physiopathology*
Employment / statistics & numerical data
Evidence-Based Medicine
Female
Humans
Male
Ontario
Outcome Assessment, Health Care*
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Qualitative Research
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Rheumatology / standards*
Work Capacity Evaluation*