Labor market affiliation of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms: a population-based matched cohort study

Lise Skovgaard Svingel*, Sarah Friis Christensen, Anders Kjærsgaard, Anna Stenling, Björn Paulsson, Christen Lykkegaard Andersen, Christian Fynbo Christiansen, Jesper Stentoft, Jørn Starklint, Marianne Tang Severinsen, Mette Borg Clausen, Morten Hagemann Hilsøe, Hans Carl Hasselbalch, Henrik Frederiksen, Marie Bak, Ellen Margrethe Mikkelsen

*Corresponding author for this work

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) suffer from substantial symptoms and risk of debilitating complications, yet observational data on their labor market affiliation are scarce.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cohort study using data from Danish nationwide registries, including patients diagnosed with MPN in 2010-2016. Each patient was matched with up to ten comparators without MPN on age, sex, level of education, and region of residence. We assessed pre- and post-diagnosis labor market affiliation, defined as working, unemployed, or receiving sickness benefit, disability pension, retirement pension, or other health-related benefits. Labor market affiliation was assessed weekly from two years pre-diagnosis until death, emigration, or 31 December 2018. For patients and comparators, we reported percentage point (pp) changes in labor market affiliation cross-sectionally from week -104 pre-diagnosis to week 104 post-diagnosis.

RESULTS: The study included 3,342 patients with MPN and 32,737 comparators. From two years pre-diagnosis until two years post-diagnosis, a larger reduction in the proportion working was observed among patients than comparators (essential thrombocythemia: 10.2 [95% CI: 6.3-14.1] vs. 6.8 [95% CI: 5.5-8.0] pp; polycythemia vera: 9.6 [95% CI: 5.9-13.2] vs. 7.4 [95% CI: 6.2-8.7] pp; myelofibrosis: 8.1 [95% CI: 3.0-13.2] vs. 5.8 [95% CI: 4.2-7.5] pp; and unclassifiable MPN: 8.0 [95% CI: 3.0-13.0] vs. 7.4 [95% CI: 5.7-9.1] pp). Correspondingly, an increase in the proportion of patients receiving sickness benefits including other health-related benefits was evident around the time of diagnosis.

CONCLUSION: Overall, we found that Danish patients with essential thrombocythemia, polycythemia vera, myelofibrosis, and unclassifiable MPN had slightly impaired labor market affiliation compared with a population of the same age and sex. From two years pre-diagnosis to two years post-diagnosis, we observed a larger reduction in the proportion of patients with MPN working and a greater proportion receiving sickness benefits compared with matched individuals.

Original languageEnglish
JournalActa Oncologica
Volume62
Issue number10
Pages (from-to)1286-1294
Number of pages9
ISSN0284-186X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2023

Keywords

  • Cohort Studies
  • Humans
  • Myeloproliferative Disorders
  • Polycythemia Vera/epidemiology
  • Primary Myelofibrosis/epidemiology
  • Thrombocythemia, Essential
  • epidemiology
  • matched groups
  • cohort studies
  • employment
  • Myeloproliferative disorder
  • population characteristics

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