. 2024 Jun 20;44(8):1553–1565. doi: 10.1007/s00296-024-05643-z

Table 2.

Work characteristics and work-related problems of (self-)employed participants with rheumatoid arthritis or axial spondyloarthritis

	(Self-)employed participants with rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis
Employment type; n (%) Permanent employment Temporary employment Self-employed with personnel Self-employed without personnel	N = 646 519 (80.3%) 59 (9.1%) 8 (1.2%) 60 (9.3%)	N = 578 519 (89.8%) 59 (10.2%) – –	N = 68 – – 8 (11.8%) 60 (88.2%)
Top-3 job sector; n (%) Healthcare Education and training Retail and sales	N = 646 241 (37.3%) 76 (11.8%) 64 (9.9%)	N = 578 219 (37.9%) 71 (12.3%) 59 (10.2%)	N = 33 22 (32.4%) 5 (7.4%) 5 (7.4%)
Occupational class; n (%) White-collar Blue-collar	N = 627 578 (92.2%) 49 (7.8%)	N = 561 516 (92.0%) 45 (8.0%)	N = 66 62 (93.9%) 4 (6.1%)
Size of company; n (%) < 10 employees 10 to 50 employees 51 to 250 employees > 250 employees	N = 646 107 (16.6%) 111 (17.2%) 106 (16.4%) 322 (49.8%)	N = 578 49 (8.5%) 107 (18.5%) 104 (18.0%) 318 (55.0%)	N = 68 58 (85.3%) 4 (5.9%) 2 (2.9%) 4 (5.9%)
Working hours; n (%) < 12 h/week 12 to 24 h/week 25 to 36 h/week > 36 h/week	N = 646 37 (5.7%) 244 (37.8%) 237 (36.7%) 128 (19.8%)	N = 578 31 (5.4%) 221 (38.2%) 217 (37.5%) 109 (18.9%)	N = 68 6 (8.8%) 23 (33.8%) 20 (29.4%) 19 (27.3%)
Work-related problems in the past 12 months due to the disease; n (%) Yes	N = 617 589 (95.5%)	N = 552 526 (95.3%)	N = 65 63 (96.9%)
Type of work-related problems due to disease; n (%) (Multiple answers possible) Fatigue Pain in joints/muscles Stiffness of joints/muscles Morning or starting stiffness Difficulty moving Swollen joints	N = 589 563 (95.6%) 552 (93.7%) 525 (89.1%) 493 (83.7%) 465 (78.9%) 245 (41.6%)	N = 526 503 (95.6%) 491 (93.3%) 470 (89.3%) 437 (83.1%) 415 (78.9%) 222 (42.2%)	N = 63 31 (49.2%) 32 (50.8%) 28 (44.4%) 26 (41.3%) 27 (42.9%) 17 (27.0%)
Currently on sick leave due to disease; n (%) Yes, on partial sick leave Yes, on full sick leave	N = 589 58 (9.8%) 43 (7.3%)	N = 526 54 (10.3%) 43 (8.2%)	N = 63 4 (6.3%) -
Duration of current sick leave due to disease; n (%) < 6 months 6 to 12 months > 12 months	N = 101 39 (38.6%) 32 (31.7%) 30 (29.7%)	N = 97 39 (40.2%) 29 (29.9%) 29 (29.9%)	N = 4 - 3 (75.0%) 1 (25.0%)
Work Ability Index-Single Item Scale (WAS), range 0 to 10; Mean (SD) WAS categories; n (%) Poor work ability (0–5) Moderate work ability (6–7) Good work ability (8–9) Excellent work ability (10)	N = 617 6.4 (1.8) 196 (31.8%) 298 (48.3%) 118 (19.1%) 5 (0.8%)	N = 552 6.5 (1.8) 174 (31.5%) 262 (47.5%) 112 (20.3%) 4 (0.7%)	N = 65 5.9 (1.6) 22 (33.8%) 36 (55.4%) 6 (9.2%) 1 (1.5%)

(Self-)employed participants with rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis

Total,
n = 646

Employed, n = 578

Self-employed, n = 68

Employment type; n (%)

Permanent employment

Temporary employment

Self-employed with personnel

Self-employed without personnel

N = 646

519 (80.3%)

59 (9.1%)

8 (1.2%)

60 (9.3%)

N = 578

519 (89.8%)

59 (10.2%)

–

N = 68

–

8 (11.8%)

60 (88.2%)

Top-3 job sector; n (%)

Healthcare

Education and training

Retail and sales

N = 646

241 (37.3%)

76 (11.8%)

64 (9.9%)

N = 578

219 (37.9%)

71 (12.3%)

59 (10.2%)

N = 33

22 (32.4%)

5 (7.4%)

Occupational class; n (%)

White-collar

Blue-collar

N = 627

578 (92.2%)

49 (7.8%)

N = 561

516 (92.0%)

45 (8.0%)

N = 66

62 (93.9%)

4 (6.1%)

Size of company; n (%)

< 10 employees

10 to 50 employees

51 to 250 employees

> 250 employees

N = 646

107 (16.6%)

111 (17.2%)

106 (16.4%)

322 (49.8%)

N = 578

49 (8.5%)

107 (18.5%)

104 (18.0%)

318 (55.0%)

N = 68

58 (85.3%)

4 (5.9%)

2 (2.9%)

4 (5.9%)

Working hours; n (%)

< 12 h/week

12 to 24 h/week

25 to 36 h/week

> 36 h/week

N = 646

37 (5.7%)

244 (37.8%)

237 (36.7%)

128 (19.8%)

N = 578

31 (5.4%)

221 (38.2%)

217 (37.5%)

109 (18.9%)

N = 68

6 (8.8%)

23 (33.8%)

20 (29.4%)

19 (27.3%)

Work-related problems in the past 12 months due to the disease; n (%)

Yes

N = 617

589 (95.5%)

N = 552

526 (95.3%)

N = 65

63 (96.9%)

Type of work-related problems due to disease; n (%)

(Multiple answers possible)

Fatigue

Pain in joints/muscles

Stiffness of joints/muscles

Morning or starting stiffness

Difficulty moving

Swollen joints

N = 589

563 (95.6%)

552 (93.7%)

525 (89.1%)

493 (83.7%)

465 (78.9%)

245 (41.6%)

N = 526

503 (95.6%)

491 (93.3%)

470 (89.3%)

437 (83.1%)

415 (78.9%)

222 (42.2%)

N = 63

31 (49.2%)

32 (50.8%)

28 (44.4%)

26 (41.3%)

27 (42.9%)

17 (27.0%)

Currently on sick leave due to disease; n (%)

Yes, on partial sick leave

Yes, on full sick leave

N = 589

58 (9.8%)

43 (7.3%)

N = 526

54 (10.3%)

43 (8.2%)

N = 63

4 (6.3%)

Duration of current sick leave due to disease; n (%)

< 6 months

6 to 12 months

> 12 months

N = 101

39 (38.6%)

32 (31.7%)

30 (29.7%)

N = 97

39 (40.2%)

29 (29.9%)

N = 4

3 (75.0%)

1 (25.0%)

Work Ability Index-Single Item Scale (WAS),

range 0 to 10; Mean (SD)

WAS categories; n (%)

Poor work ability (0–5)

Moderate work ability (6–7)

Good work ability (8–9)

Excellent work ability (10)

N = 617

6.4 (1.8)

196 (31.8%)

298 (48.3%)

118 (19.1%)

5 (0.8%)

N = 552

6.5 (1.8)

174 (31.5%)

262 (47.5%)

112 (20.3%)

4 (0.7%)

N = 65

5.9 (1.6)

22 (33.8%)

36 (55.4%)

6 (9.2%)

1 (1.5%)