Becoming a disability pensioner with rheumatoid arthritis in Norway 1971-1990

Objective. Physically demanding occupations have been associated with becom ing a disability pensioner with rheumatoid arthritis (DPRA), but not with t he disease of RA. The association with becoming DPRA probably reflects that patients with RA have difficulties in maintaining employment in a physical ly demanding occupation. However, the attitudes of the employers concerning employment of persons with RA might vary. For example, the patient's age m ay influence the strength of the association between a physically demanding occupation and becoming DPRA. We assessed whether the association between the predictors and becoming DPRA was stronger for the youngest or the oldes t age group. Methods. The study was prospective with data on persons in Norway 30-56 yea rs old either in the census of 1970 or 1980. All new cases of DPRA during t he ? followup periods 1971-80 and 1981-90 were identified and analyzed by l ogistic regression. Results. For women the predictors employment, low level of education, and p eriod (1981-90 compared to 1971-80) were more strongly associated with beco ming DPRA for the youngest compared to the oldest persons, while manual wor k and parr time work were not predictors of becoming DPRA. For men, all the predictors in the study were more strongly associated with becoming DPRA f or the youngest compared to the oldest age group. Conclusion. The higher risk of becoming DPRA was associated with must predi ctors for persons aged 30-39 years than the group aged 50-56 years. Our res ults appear to indicate that the consequences of having RA in the labor mar ket are greater for the youngest age group.