Back pain and rheumatoid arthritis cost €750m in sick days

BACK PAIN, rheumatoid arthritis and similar conditions are costing the economy €750 million a year, as they account for half of all the sick days taken by workers.

The report on musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) released in Brussels showed early diagnosis and treatment is the key to improving people’s quality of life and getting them back to work quickly.

The study points out that Ireland has fewer rheumatology consultants than the 24 other countries surveyed, except for Portugal and Turkey.

Consultant Rheumatologist at St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin, Professor Oliver FitzGerald, said this was a serious concern and he was aware patients could wait for up to four years for an appointment: “For more serious MSDs, such as rheumatoid arthritis, it is imperative that patients receive treatment as soon as possible to help halt the disease progression.”

However, the statistics quoted showed that 14% of Irish people suffered from backache, which was the third lowest of the 25 countries surveyed, while the number having RA at 0.5% was the lowest among the northern European countries. However, close to 50% took time off work, blaming such conditions, which was more than the EU average of around 40%.

The report recommends carrying out medical assessments of people claiming disability and quotes an Irish pilot project where people on disability were medically assessed much earlier than usual and 64% were found to be capable of returning to work compared with the 20% norm.

Europe-wide poor health due to muscle and joint pain costs an estimated €240 billion a year, with 100 million suffering from chronic pain and many of them being forced to give up working because of it.

The report, Fit for Work, carried out by the UK Work Foundation, says that family doctors need to be better educated about these conditions. RA patients visit their doctors up to four times before being diagnosed and a British study showed treating even 10% more sufferers within three months of diagnosis could result in €25m productivity gains for the economy. Detection, prevention and intervention should begin in the workplace, with employees absent for five days with joint or muscle pain filling questionnaires to see if they need expert medical advice.

The welfare system should take action early, having those claiming disability because of MSD assessed by specialists.