The relationship between socio-demographic factors, health status, treatment type, and employment outcome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Japan

Abstract

Abstract Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) constitutes a huge burden for patients and studies show that IBD patients have difficulties remaining in employment. Because there is no data about the unemployment of IBD patients in Japan. Methods We surveyed a representative sample of 1068 Japanese IBD patients regarding their employment status. Results We found that the labor force participation rate is lower and unemployment higher for patients with IBD compared to the general population. Factors associated with unemployment in the IBD sample are older age, female gender, and the prevalence of depression. Discussion IBD constitutes a high burden for patients in Japan regarding employment outcome.

Keywords

• Burden of disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Japan
• Unemployment