Return to Work after an Acute Coronary Syndrome: Patients' Perspective.
- Author:
Frans G SLEBUS
1
;
Harald T JORSTAD
;
Ron J G PETERS
;
P Paul F M KUIJER
;
J Han H B M WILLEMS
;
Judith K SLUITER
;
Monique H W FRINGS-DRESEN
Author Information
1. Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. f.g.slebus@amc.uva.nl
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Acute coronary syndrome;
Return to work;
Facilitating;
Hindering factors
- MeSH:
Acute Coronary Syndrome;
Heart Diseases;
Hospitalization;
Humans;
Retrospective Studies;
Return to Work;
Survivors;
Telephone
- From:Safety and Health at Work
2012;3(2):117-122
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: To describe the time perspective of return to work and the factors that facilitate and hinder return to work in a group of survivors of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: Retrospective semi-structured telephone survey 2 to 3 years after hospitalization with 84 employed Dutch ACS-patients from one academic medical hospital. RESULTS: Fifty-eight percent of patients returned to work within 3 months, whereas at least 88% returned to work once within 2 years. Two years after hospitalization, 12% of ACS patients had not returned to work at all, and 24% were working, but not at pre-ACS levels. For all ACS-patients, the most mentioned categories of facilitating factors to return to work were having no complaints and not having signs or symptoms of heart disease. Physical incapacity, co-morbidity, and mental incapacity were the top 3 categories of hindering factors against returning to work. CONCLUSION: Within 2 years, 36% of the patients had not returned to work at their pre-ACS levels. Disease factors, functional capacity, environmental factors, and personal factors were listed as affecting subjects' work ability level.
