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Determinants of Employment in People Living with HIV in the Netherlands

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Abstract

Objectives Since HIV has become a manageable chronic disease, employment is of increasing importance for people living with HIV (PLWH). This study aimed to investigate the level of work participation among PLWH in the Netherlands, and the associated determinants of employment. Methods For this study the baseline measurements of a longitudinal cohort study with a 2-year follow-up, the TREVI project, were used. The TREVI project aims to study cognitive function disorders among PLWH in relation to their employment, productivity, and social functioning. From December 2012 until December 2013, data on cognitive functioning, measured by the HIV Dementia Scale, and medical data derived from patient records were collected. Employment status and possible determinants of employment were assessed by a digital survey. Chi square analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted in order to investigate the level of employment and associated determinants of employment. Results This cross-sectional study revealed significant differences in the level of employment compared with Dutch reference data: i.e. in the age group 40–54 years PLWH had a significantly lower employment rate than the general Dutch population. Multivariate analysis showed that employment was negatively associated with a lower or higher age (reference: 40–54 years), a longer period since diagnosis, problems with physical functioning, and a higher score on the HADS Depression. Having paid work at diagnosis was positively associated with employment. Conclusion PLWH, particularly in the age of 40–54, in the Netherlands have a significant lower level of employment compared to the general population. Counseling should address reduced psychological and physical functioning in order to improve the position of PLWH on the labor market.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank all participants of the TREVI study, and the HIV nurses and HIV physicians of the Erasmus MC (Rotterdam, the Netherlands).

Funding

This study was supported with an educational grant from Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Expertise Innovations in Care, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Marlies N. Wagener, Harald S. Miedema & Pepijn D. D. M. Roelofs

  2. Department of Viroscience, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Marlies N. Wagener, Lennert van den Dries & Eric C. M. van Gorp

  3. Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Job Van Exel

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Eric C. M. van Gorp

Authors
  1. Marlies N. Wagener
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  2. Lennert van den Dries
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  3. Job Van Exel
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  4. Harald S. Miedema
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  5. Eric C. M. van Gorp
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  6. Pepijn D. D. M. Roelofs
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Correspondence to Marlies N. Wagener.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Wagener, M.N., van den Dries, L., Van Exel, J. et al. Determinants of Employment in People Living with HIV in the Netherlands. J Occup Rehabil 28, 45–56 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-016-9692-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-016-9692-8

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