Impact of Psoriasis on Patients' Work and Productivity A Retrospective, Matched Case-Control Analysis

Background: Psoriasis negatively impacts patient quality of life; however, the impact on work and productivity is not well known. Objective: To determine the impact of psoriasis on work and productivity using data from the National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS). Methods: Data collected from 40 730 adults who completed the NHWS between I May and 30 June 2004, of whom 1127 had psoriasis, were analyzed. Psoriasis patients and a matched cohort of non-psoriasis patients were identified to assess the impact of psoriasis on work and productivity. Results: Psoriasis patients were more likely to have missed work for health-related reasons (p < 0.05), had significantly more health-related work productivity impairment (p < 0.001), more overall work impairment (p < 0.001), and more impairment in activity other than work (p < 0.001) than non-psoriasis patients. Conclusions: The results of this large-scale national survey suggest that psoriasis has a significant negative impact on overall work productivity.