Longitudinal determinants of employment status in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

E E A van Egmond; K van der Hiele; M J de Rooij; D A M van Gorp; P J Jongen; J J L van der Klink; M F Reneman; E A C Beenakker; J J J van Eijk; S T F M Frequin; K de Gans; E Hoitsma; O H H Gerlach; J P Mostert; W I M Verhagen; L H Visser; H A M Middelkoop

doi:10.1016/j.ibneur.2024.04.002

Longitudinal determinants of employment status in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

IBRO Neurosci Rep. 2024 Apr 15:16:518-526. doi: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2024.04.002. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Authors

E E A van Egmond^{1

2

3

4}, K van der Hiele¹, M J de Rooij⁵, D A M van Gorp², P J Jongen^{6

7}, J J L van der Klink^{8

9}, M F Reneman¹⁰, E A C Beenakker¹¹, J J J van Eijk¹², S T F M Frequin¹³, K de Gans¹⁴, E Hoitsma¹⁵, O H H Gerlach^{16

17

18}, J P Mostert¹⁹, W I M Verhagen²⁰, L H Visser^{2

4}, H A M Middelkoop^{1

21}

Affiliations

¹ Leiden University, Department of Psychology, Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden, the Netherlands.
² Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital, Department of Neurology, Tilburg, the Netherlands.
³ National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
⁴ University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
⁵ Leiden University, Methodology and Statistics Department, Institute of Psychology, Leiden, the Netherlands.
⁶ MS4 Research Institute, Ubbergseweg 34, Nijmegen 6522 KJ, the Netherlands.
⁷ Department of Community & Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, PO Box 30001, Groningen 9700 RB, the Netherlands.
⁸ Tilburg School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Tranzo Scientific Centre for Care and Welfare, Tilburg University, PO Box 90153, Tilburg 5000 LE, the Netherlands.
⁹ Optentia, North West University of South Africa, PO Box 1174, Vanderbijlspark, South Africa.
¹⁰ Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Centre for Rehabilitation, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, PO Box 30.002, Haren 9750 RA, the Netherlands.
¹¹ Department of Neurology, Medical Centre Leeuwarden, PO Box 888, Leeuwarden 8901 BR, the Netherlands.
¹² Department of Neurology, Jeroen Bosch Hospital,, PO Box 90153, 's-Hertogenbosch 2000 ME, the Netherlands.
¹³ Department of Neurology, St. Antonius Hospital, PO Box 2500, Nieuwegein 3430 EM, the Netherlands.
¹⁴ Department of Neurology, Groene Hart Hospital, PO Box 1098, Gouda 2800 BB, the Netherlands.
¹⁵ Department of Neurology, Alrijne Hospital, PO Box 4220, Leiderdorp, the Netherlands.
¹⁶ Department of Neurology, Zuyderland Medical Centre, PO Box 5500, Sittard-Geleen 6130 MB, the Netherlands.
¹⁷ Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, PO Box 5800, Maastricht 6202 AZ, the Netherlands.
¹⁸ Department of Neurology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Centre, PO Box 5800, Maastricht 6202 AZ, the Netherlands.
¹⁹ Department of Neurology, Rijnstate Hospital, PO Box 9555, Arnhem 6800 TA, the Netherlands.
²⁰ Department of Neurology, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital, PO Box 9015, Nijmegen 6500 GS, the Netherlands.
²¹ Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Neurology & Neuropsychology, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate longitudinal relationships between employment status and disease-related, (neuro)psychological, and work-related factors in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: 170 employed people with MS underwent yearly neurological and neuropsychological examinations to assess MS-related disability and cognitive functioning. Additionally, they completed yearly questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, fatigue, cognitive complaints, workplace support and coping. Multilevel models for change were fitted to examine progression of these factors over three years, and to assess possible relationships with change in employment status.

Results: People with a deteriorated employment status after three years reported more depression (p=0.009), a higher impact of fatigue (p<0.001), more cognitive complaints (p<0.001) and less workplace support (p=0.001) at baseline than people with a stable employment status. There were no differences in progression over time of the examined variables between people with a stable or deteriorated employment status.

Conclusion: More depression, a higher impact of fatigue, more cognitive complaints and less workplace support are predictive of a deteriorated employment status after three years in individuals with MS. How these factors progress over time is not different between those with a stable or deteriorated employment. MS-related disability, anxiety, objective cognition and coping were not related to a deterioration in employment status.

Keywords: Cognition; Depression; Employment; Fatigue; Multiple sclerosis; Work.