부산대학교 도서관

This study investigates the impact of loss of employment on adults with rheumatoid arthritis. Around 80% of people who are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis are between the ages of 35 and 50, that is, of working age and over half of those who are working at the time of onset can be expected to retire prematurely (within 10 years) from the workforce because of their illness. Numerous studies report a wide range of biopsychosocial consequences for individuals who have to give up their jobs as a result of their arthritis but almost no research on the combined impact of loss of employment and disability on life satisfaction. The Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale, the Latent and Manifest Benefits Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale were administered to 70 participants with rheumatoid arthritis. The results compared employed participants with those who were at various stages of relinquishing their job and significant relationships were found between these groups on many of the arthritis impact scales. Life satisfaction was significantly predicted by arthritis impact and employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]