Return to Work and Associated Factors After the First Hospitalization for Heart Failure

OBJECTIVE
Heart failure is a public health problem worldwide. Employment is vital in terms of personal, social, and economic aspects for patients with chronic diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate returning to work and the associated factors after first hospitalization for heart failure in working-age patients.


METHODS
In this retrospective cohort study, patients with the first hospitalization for heart failure in 2017-2020 who were employed before hospitalization were included. The demographic, occupational, and disease-related variables were compared in subjects with and without returning to work. Next, the relationship between the variables and the number of days off work was examined in participants who had returned to work.


RESULTS
The data of 204 participants were analyzed. About 90% of the participants returned to work after 1 year. There was a significant relationship between not returning to work and
higher age, female sex, higher New York Heart Association class, ejection fraction ≤40%, and history of chronic kidney disease. Among the participants who had returned to work, income level, cause of work exit, employer support, and the number of rehabilitation sessions had a significant relationship with the number of days off work.


CONCLUSION
The results of this study showed that gender, age, ejection fraction level, history of chronic kidney disease, and New York Heart Association class were the most influential factors in returning to work after first heart failure hospitalization. Furthermore, income, cause of work exit, employer support, and the number of rehabilitation sessions were the most important factors contributing to the number of days off work.