PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Sietse E S Terpstra AU - Lotte A van de Stadt AU - Annelies Boonen AU - Wendy Damman AU - Frits R Rosendaal AU - Margreet Kloppenburg TI - Hand osteoarthritis is associated with limitations in paid and unpaid work participation and related societal costs: the HOSTAS cohort AID - 10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002367 DP - 2022 Jul 01 TA - RMD Open PG - e002367 VI - 8 IP - 2 4099 - http://rmdopen.bmj.com/content/8/2/e002367.short 4100 - http://rmdopen.bmj.com/content/8/2/e002367.full SO - RMD Open2022 Jul 01; 8 AB - Objectives Data on work participation impairment and related societal costs for patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA) are scarce. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association of hand OA with work limitations and costs of productivity loss in paid and unpaid work.Methods We used data from the Hand Osteoarthritis in Secondary Care cohort, including patients with hand OA diagnosed by their treating rheumatologist. Using the validated Health and Labour Questionnaire, we assessed experienced unpaid and paid work restrictions, unpaid work replacement by others and inefficiency and absence during paid work related to hand OA over the last 2 weeks. Societal costs (€) per hour of paid and unpaid work were estimated using Dutch salary data in 2019.Results 381 patients were included (mean age 61 years, 84% women, 26% high education level, 55% having any comorbidity). Replacement of unpaid work by others due to hand OA was necessary for 171 out of 381 patients (45%). Paid work was reported by 181/381 patients (47%), of whom 13/181 (7%) reported absenteeism, 28/181 (15%) unproductive hours at work and 120/181 (66%) paid work restrictions due to hand OA.Total estimated work-related societal costs per patient with hand OA (381 patients) were €94 (95% CI 59 to 130) per 2 weeks (€2452, 95% CI 1528 to 3377 per year).Conclusions Hand OA is associated with impairment in paid and unpaid work participation, which translates into substantial societal costs of lost productivity. These results highlight the importance of adequate hand OA treatment.No data are available. The data underlying this article cannot be shared publicly due to the privacy of individuals that participated in the study. However, some aspects of the data can be shared on reasonable request to the corresponding author.