Work absenteeism, disability, and lost wages among patients with acute myeloid leukemia and their caregivers: a cohort study using US administrative claims and productivity data

ABSTRACT

Objective

We describe the impact of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosis on workplace absenteeism and disability days among patients and their caregivers.

Methods

This retrospective study included adults with newly diagnosed AML (2009–2019) and adult caregivers of patients with newly diagnosed AML, identified from the US Merative™ MarketScan® Commercial Database. The Merative MarketScan Health and Productivity Management Database provided linked patient-level records of workplace absence and short-term (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) data. Endpoints included workplace absence, STD and LTD for patients and caregivers during 12 months pre-AML (baseline) and ≤3 years’ follow-up, and corresponding cost of work loss.

Results

Patient workplace absence decreased in the months post-AML diagnosis, but the number of STD and LTD leave days claimed increased significantly by sixfold and fourfold, respectively. The proportion of patients making STD leave claims increased within 4–5 months of diagnosis, while the proportion making LTD leave claims increased significantly starting from month 5. Caregiver workplace absence peaked in the first 2 months post-diagnosis and remained elevated versus baseline throughout the study.

Conclusion

AML diagnosis leads to workplace absenteeism and increased economic burden for patients with AML and their caregivers.

KEYWORDS:

• Absenteeism
• acute myeloid leukemia
• caregivers
• disability
• economic burden
• wage loss

Previous presentation

These data were submitted in part as an abstract to the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, June 2–6, Chicago, IL, USA, and was published online (J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 [Suppl 16; Abstr e19002]).

Declaration of interest

B J Pandya, C Young, B Xie, A Block, K Bernacki, and M Touya are employees of Astellas.

E R Packnett and T Lillehaugen are employees of Merative.

T W LeBanc has received grants/contracts from AstraZeneca, CareVive, GSK, Janssen, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Jazz Pharmaceuticals; royalties/licenses from UpToDate; consulting fees from AbbVie, Astellas, Agios/Servier, Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene, Flatiron, GSK, Genentech, Pfizer, BlueNote Therapeutics, Novartis, and AstraZeneca; honoraria from AbbVie, Agios/Servier, Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene for speaker programs; and support for attending meetings from Agios/Servier, AbbVie, and Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene.

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Acknowledgments

Programming services were provided by Caroline Henriques, MPH, of Merative. Statistical analysis support was provided by David Smith, PhD, of Merative. These services were funded by Astellas Pharma Inc. Medical writing support was provided by Rhian Harper Owen, PhD, for Lumanity and funded by Astellas Pharma Inc. T W LeBlanc is a Scholar in Clinical Research of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Author contributions

Conception/study design: B J Pandya, C Young, E R Packnett, B Xie, T Lillehaugen, A Block, K Bernacki, T W LeBlanc

Data acquisition: E R Packnett, T Lillehaugen

Analysis of data: C Young, E R Packnett, B Xie, T Lillehaugen

Interpretation of study data: B J Pandya, C Young, E R Packnett, B Xie, T Lillehaugen, A Block, K Bernacki, M Touya, T W LeBlanc

All authors were involved in drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content, approve the final version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Data sharing statement

Researchers may request access to anonymized participant-level data, trial-level data, and protocols from Astellas-sponsored clinical trials at www.clinicalstudydatarequest.com. For the Astellas criteria on data sharing see https://clinicalstudydatarequest.com/Study-Sponsors/Study-Sponsors-Astellas.aspx.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/14737167.2024.2311305

Additional information

Funding

This study and its resultant publications were initiated, funded, and reviewed by Astellas Pharma Inc. Medical writing support was funded by Astellas Pharma Inc.