OBJECTIVE:

To identify barriers to return to work (RTW) among persons likely to be seen in a clinician's practice who are unemployed due to arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders.

METHODS:

Two hundred eighteen persons unemployed due to arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders were interviewed at baseline and followed up for 1 year, at which time their work status was ascertained. Backward stepwise logistic regression was used to determine the association of baseline clinical, sociodemographic, and work-related factors to their work status at 1 year of followup.

RESULTS:

Fifty-one (24%) of 216 initially unemployed subjects had returned to permanent paid employment of > or = 20 hours/week after 1 year. Having rheumatoid arthritis, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) status, a high pain level, older age, and lower education were barriers to reemployment.

CONCLUSION:

This study establishes the importance of chronic pain and having rheumatoid arthritis as factors independently associated with failure to RTW among persons unemployed due to arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders. The importance of SSDI beneficiary status, age, and education level in RTW is further confirmed. Duration of unemployment or previous work factors were not predictors of RTW in this group.