Last month important new research was released for fibromyalgia patients seeking Social Security disability benefits. The study, published in the February 10, 2014, issue of the journal Arthritis Care & Research, looked at how many fibromyalgia patients received Social Security disability benefits and what the best indicators of receiving benefits were for these patients.
Here’s What the Study Found
Researchers studied 2,321 patients with doctor-diagnosed fibromyalgia over a four-year period. Among these patients:
- Approximately 35 percent received Social Security disability over the four-year period.
- Each year of the study, approximately 3.5 percent of the patients who did not receive Social Security disability when the study started began receiving Social Security disability benefits.
- Social Security disability benefits were more likely to be received by fibromyalgia patients who also had arthritis. More specifically, 55.6 percent of patients with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis received Social Security disability, and 42.4 percent of patients with fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis received Social Security disability.
- By the end of the study, approximately 31 percent of people who had received Social Security disability were no longer receiving Social Security disability.
- The strongest predictor of Social Security disability benefits was functional status, though sociodemographic measures and symptom burden were also relevant.
As always, the determination of Social Security disability benefits is an individual assessment based on numerous factors.
Want to Learn More?
If you or someone you love suffers from fibromyalgia, then we invite you to learn more about Social Security disability eligibility and the application process by browsing the FREE articles available on our website.
