Article:
Factors promoting sustainable work in women with fibromyalgia
– Source: Disability and Rehabilitation, January 22, 2013
By Annie Palstam, Gunvor Gard, and Kaisa Mannerkorpi
Abstract:
Purpose: To examine and describe the factors promoting sustainable work in women with fibromyalgia (FM).
Methods: A qualitative interview study. Twenty-seven gainfully employed women with FM participated in five focus group interviews. Their median age was 52 years, ranging from 33 to 62. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed by qualitative latent content analysis.
Results: Four categories were identified describing factors promoting sustainable work: the meaning of work and individual strategies were individual promoters while a favourable work environment and social support outside work were environmental promoters.
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The meaning of work included individual meaning and social meaning.
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The individual strategies included handling symptoms, the work day and long-term work life.
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A favourable work environment included the physical and psychosocial work environment.
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Social support outside work included societal and private social supports.
Conclusions: Promoting factors for work were identified, involving individual and environmental factors. These working women with FM had developed advanced well-functioning strategies to enhance their work ability. The development of such strategies should be supported by health-care professionals as well as employers to promote sustainable work in women with FM.
Implications for Rehabilitation
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Work disability is a common consequence of fibromyalgia (FM).
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Working women with FM appear to have developed advanced well-functioning individual strategies to enhance their work ability.
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The development of individual strategies should be supported by health-care professionals as well as employers to promote sustainable work and health in women with FM.
Source: Disability and Rehabilitation, January 22, 2013. By Annie Palstam1, Gunvor Gard2, and Kaisa Mannerkorpi134. 1Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, 2Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden, 3Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden and 4University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-centred Care (GPCC), Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden Address for correspondence: Annie Palstam, Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 10, Box 480, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden. Tel: +46 31 3424722. E-mail: annie.palstam@gu.se
