OBJECTIVE: Parkinson's disease (PD) causes significant economic burden for patients and caregivers. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides insurance to workers in the United States who have been gainfully employed, but who are no longer able to work due to a medical condition. We performed a descriptive pilot study that examined PD patients' experience with SSDI. METHODS: PD patients who were diagnosed with PD prior to age 60 and were followed at an academic movement disorders center were consecutively invited to participate in a survey concerning their employment history and experience with SSDI. RESULTS: All 68 invited patients participated in the study (mean age 58 years, mean disease duration 9.5 years). Eighty-two percent of patients felt that they were too disabled to work full time at a mean of 3.4 years after PD diagnosis. Patients applied for SSDI at a mean of 5 years after diagnosis, and two-thirds of PD patients who applied for SSDI obtained it on their first attempt. The primary debilitating symptom that subjectively contributed to work disability was fatigue (49% of patients). Patients who successfully acquired SSDI had extensive documentation of physician visits, and the aid of a disability lawyer. CONCLUSIONS: Patients felt they were too disabled to work full time at a mean of 3.4 years after diagnosis. Those who applied for SSDI did so at a mean of 5 years after diagnosis. Patients who obtained SSDI awards had extensive documentation of medical records or the help of a disability lawyer.
OBJECTIVE:Parkinson's disease (PD) causes significant economic burden for patients and caregivers. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides insurance to workers in the United States who have been gainfully employed, but who are no longer able to work due to a medical condition. We performed a descriptive pilot study that examined PDpatients' experience with SSDI. METHODS:PDpatients who were diagnosed with PD prior to age 60 and were followed at an academic movement disorders center were consecutively invited to participate in a survey concerning their employment history and experience with SSDI. RESULTS: All 68 invited patients participated in the study (mean age 58 years, mean disease duration 9.5 years). Eighty-two percent of patients felt that they were too disabled to work full time at a mean of 3.4 years after PD diagnosis. Patients applied for SSDI at a mean of 5 years after diagnosis, and two-thirds of PDpatients who applied for SSDI obtained it on their first attempt. The primary debilitating symptom that subjectively contributed to work disability was fatigue (49% of patients). Patients who successfully acquired SSDI had extensive documentation of physician visits, and the aid of a disability lawyer. CONCLUSIONS:Patients felt they were too disabled to work full time at a mean of 3.4 years after diagnosis. Those who applied for SSDI did so at a mean of 5 years after diagnosis. Patients who obtained SSDI awards had extensive documentation of medical records or the help of a disability lawyer.
Authors: Benzi M Kluger; Karen Herlofson; Kelvin L Chou; Jau-Shin Lou; Christopher G Goetz; Anthony E Lang; Daniel Weintraub; Joseph Friedman Journal: Mov Disord Date: 2016-02-16 Impact factor: 10.338
Authors: Débora da Luz Scheffer; Fernando Cini Freitas; Aderbal Silva Aguiar; Catherine Ward; Luiz Guilherme Antonacci Guglielmo; Rui Daniel Prediger; Shane J F Cronin; Roger Walz; Nick A Andrews; Alexandra Latini Journal: Brain Commun Date: 2021-06-08
Authors: Per Odin; K Ray Chaudhuri; Jens Volkmann; Angelo Antonini; Alexander Storch; Espen Dietrichs; Zvezdan Pirtošek; Tove Henriksen; Malcolm Horne; David Devos; Filip Bergquist Journal: NPJ Parkinsons Dis Date: 2018-05-10