Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of function in the joints, and can also affect other body organs. It is a growing problem all across the world, and one of the most serious medical conditions.
A team of researchers analysed an insurance-claims database to make a comparison between the costs to employers for more than 2,700 workers with rheumatoid arthritis and more than 338,000 workers who did not have the condition.
The study found that the average yearly cost for a worker with rheumatoid arthritis was around $8,700, compared with $3,500 for a worker without the condition. The direct health care costs accounted for about 90 percent of the extra $5,200 in the total costs every year for a worker with arthritis.
The authors of the study also found that the workers with rheumatoid arthritis averaged around three and a half more days of health-related work absence some work every year than those without arthritis. This included more sick days and more short-term disability time.
Based on their findings, the team calculated that workers with rheumatoid arthritis cost employers nationwide an additional $5.8 billion a year. Of that total, $5.2 billion was for direct health care. Workers with the condition also cost 4 million more lost work days per year than those without rheumatoid arthritis. It is thought that the study may underestimate the cost impact of rheumatoid arthritis for employers, specifically this relates to reduced productivity.