Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS), because of its early age at onset, greatly impacts the working lives of those affected by it in ways linked to different factors, both professional and personal. It has been observed that only a small percentage (20-40%) of workers with MS retain their jobs after the diagnosis. When identifying factors determining job retention or loss in this setting, it is essential to consider the direct perspectives of people with MS (PwMS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This study, conducted on a sample of Italian occupational physicians (OPs), aimed to gather data regarding professional activity and their needs in managing workers with multiple sclerosis.
Methods: A convenience sample of OPs recruited by e-mail invitation to the list of Italian Society of Occupational Medicine members was considered. A total of 220 OPs participated between July and October 2022.
Purpose: This study identifies potential predictors of unemployment and describes specific work difficulties and their determinants in a subgroup of employed people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The specific work difficulties were evaluated using a validated tool that measures the impact of respondents' symptoms and of workplace features.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Italy during 2021-2022.