Employment - 1

Factors affecting attainment of paid employment after lung transplantation (ADDED 9/21/04)

 

Accordingly, the purpose of our study was to identify the issues relating to paid employment after this procedure. A total of 117 lung transplant recipients completed the questionnaires (70% response rate). The mean age of respondents was 51 ± 13 years. Fifty-one percent of the sample were women and 72% were married. Cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were the most frequent pre-transplant diagnoses. Fifty-six percent of participants had paid employment at some point before transplant. After transplant, 37% of respondents obtained employment. Individuals who obtained paid employment were more likely to be younger (p = 0.002), to have university degrees (p = 0.02), to report higher health ratings (p = 0.001), and to feel physically able to work (p = 0.01). They also were more likely to express a desire to enter the paid workforce (p < 0.0001); to describe receiving  physician encouragement to work (p < 0.0001); to identify the possibility of obtaining paid employment as a primary motivator for the transplantation (p = 0.01); and to report that their previous jobs were available after transplantation (p = 0.01). All individuals who did not obtain paid employment cited personal or transplant-related factors. ConclusionsMedical and social factors influence attainment of paid employment after lung transplantation. Important components of the pre-transplant assessment are discussion of expectations about attaining employment and openly exploring the recipient's motivation for employment.  (Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation;  April 2004)