Writing Fit

The influence of Fit for Work research now extends far beyond Europe with our study of MSDs in Australia being published on 13th May at the annual conference of the Australian Rheumatology Association in Canberra. Despite having been hit less severely  by the economic crisis, the Australian labour market is still being affected and it is timely to take a look at the effect of  musculoskeletal conditions on the workforce.

Our research showed that:

- Almost 2.2 million (14.7 per cent) of working age Australians report a disability and almost a quarter of them experience
profound or severe core activity limitations. It is estimated that people with chronic conditions in Australia are 60 per cent less likely to participate in the labour market.

- Work-related injuries and diseases cost the Australian economy $57.5 billion in 2005-2006, representing 5.9 per cent of GDP. At least 43 per cent of all work-related injury/disease compensation claims resulted from cases of MSDs

- Up to 31.9 per cent of Disability Support Pension claims result from musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders

- It is estimated that MSDs cost the Australian health care system almost $4.6 billion a year.

- Back pain, back problems and disc disorders are very common complaints in Australia, affecting nearly 2.8 million people, or 14 per cent of the Australian population.

- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is the second most prevalent form of arthritis in Australia, affecting at least 2 per cent of the population and accounting for 4 per cent of the total expenditure on MSDs. Only 31 per cent of those with RA are in full-time employment, compared to 53 per cent of the general population in Australia

As with our research in many other countries, we found that earlier diagnosis and intervention could help more Australian workers with MSDs to remain in our return to work and that work participation and productivity – as well as quality of life – could be improved through more ‘joined-up’ effort between Government, healthcare professionals and employers. We are hopeful that  policy-makers and opinion-leaders across Australia will heed our messages and redouble their efforts to prioritise work as a clinical outcome for workers with MSDs.

Work is good for your health. Whilst this is now widely documented and accepted, it is not a concept that most workers appreciate until they are unfortunate enough to experience a period of absence from the work environment due to a musculoskeletal disease (MSD).

Sadly, in Ireland as well as mainland Europe too, a significant number of workers will face this experience. In Ireland, MSD’s are  the single biggest contributor to workplace absenteeism accounting for over 7m lost days per annum and a staggering cost to the exchequer of over €750m, not to mention the lost productivity and socio-economic impact on the family. Most people want to work and these days most people need to work. Yet most are not prepared to ensure a speedy return, and sadly their employers are not equipped to facilitate their prompt and healthy return to work.

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Since 2007, the Fit for Work programme has looked at the impact of MSDs on individuals’ ability to work in 30 European and beyond. Now that we have collected data from all over Europe, we are beginning to understand why some countries perform better at tackling the impact of MSDs on the economy and the society. We see strong evidence for the connection between prevalence of long-term illness, labour market indicators and the country’s economic performance.
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On Friday I was proud to launch the latest Fit for Work report at the X annual Forum of Reumaliit patient group in Estonia. The Reumafoorum heard on the importance of early intervention in reducing the impact of MSDs from a variety of renowned speakers, including Dr Tõnu Peets, Head of the Estonian Society for Rheumatology, David Magnusson from The Swedish Rheumatism Association and Ain Aaviksoo from Praxis Centre of Policy Studies, who is leading on a study of the socioeconomic costs  of rheumatic disease in Estonia.
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FfW Europe Co-President, Stephen Bevan, and independent health economist, Leela Barham, discuss pros and cons of taking a wider societal perspective in healthcare decision-making, and possible reasons why work and labour market participation are rarely included in the remit of Health Technology Assessment.

The Place of Work in Healthcare Decision Making

Steve Bevan, Founding President, Fit for Work Europe Coalition, publishes new briefing paper – ‘Fit for Work? Maximising Employment and Social Inclusion in the EU.’ The paper examines the case of workers with MSDs.

Fit for Work_ Maximising Employment and Social Inclusion in the EU

FfW Conference 2011 Reminder

Fit for Work Europe – Annual Conference – 19 October 2011 Event Agenda

On Thursday my colleague Ksenia Zheltoukhova and I were proud to launch the latest Fit for Work report at the Economic Forum in Krynica-Zdrój in southern Poland. We hope that the findings and recommendations of our research will increase awareness and provide a foundation for action at a national level. Now that Poland has assumed the Presidency of the European Union (EU), it has a unique opportunity to lead positive changes in the way the societal burden of chronic disease and work-related health conditions are managed. The Polish Presidency will also see the publication of a new EU Directive on Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) at work, which provides another opportunity to put these issues under the spotlight.

So what is the impact of MSDs in Poland and what can be done to improve the situation?
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A huge highlight of our visit to Poland this week was the opportunity to meet former President of Poland Lech Wałęsa. The President very kindly wrote a Foreword to our report and has endorsed its findings. He said of our report:

‘Fit for Work is an initiative to improve the quality of life of active workers. I am glad to learn that in times of economic crisis there are people who are willing to promote new ideas, ready to and capable of fighting for a better future.’
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