People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to have lower participation in paid employment compared to those with other chronic diseases. Using the Australian MS Longitudinal Study, two large-sample, self-report surveys of people with MS were performed four years apart, in which employment rates were measured, cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The reasons for employment loss and perceived risk of future employment loss were also assessed. A total of 1,135 Australians with MS responded to the first survey, 1,329 to the second, and 667 to both. Longitudinal loss of employment was 5.4% over the four years 2003-2007, a period of relative economic prosperity in Australia. By 2007, 56% of the MS cohort had lost employment due to MS and 64% were not in the paid labour force. Cross-sectionally, the age- and sex-standardised employment rates were significantly below those of the general population. Regression analysis indicated men were more likely than women to leave their employment because of MS, and older people were more likely than younger people. Level of occupational skill using Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) categorisation was not predictive of maintaining or losing employment. The main reasons reported by people with MS for employment loss involved ineffective management of symptoms of MS in the workplace, rather than workplace-related factors. These findings imply symptom management in an employment context needs to be addressed early in MS.

Reference: Simmons, RD; Tribe KL; McDonald, EA: (2010) Living with multiple sclerosis: longitudinal changes in employment and the importance of symptom management. J Neurol, in press