Standardised multidisciplinary rehabilitation improves health-related quality of life and productivity costs in patients with rheumatic, musculoskeletal and other diseases.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to assess changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and productivity costs following rehabilitation.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) and 7 other groups collected HRQoL EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) data for 12 months and work absence data for 24 months postrehabilitation. Differences from baseline in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and productivity costs were estimated using the area-under-the-curve method and human capital approach, respectively. Results were adjusted for age, gender (biologically), and education.

RESULTS

We included 3192 patients: mean age 53.1 years, 71% female, 42% had RMDs. HRQoL improved for all participants over 12 months, except for neurological and cancer patients. Differences in QALYs from baseline ranged from -0.014 (neurological diseases) to 0.075 (RMDs). Among 2642 employed participants, productivity costs decreased over 24 months, driven mainly by reduced sick leave (largest in cancer €18,110, smallest in neurological diseases €5747). In contrast, productivity costs for severe obesity increased by €11,614. Mean rehabilitation costs ranged from €3072 to €11,674 for cancer and neurological diseases, respectively, and were €7923 for RMDs.

CONCLUSIONS

Following rehabilitation, participants improved in HRQoL and reduced productivity costs from baseline, driven mainly by lower sick leave. Randomised controlled trials are needed to confirm the extent to which these improvements are attributable to the rehabilitation.