The VOLP was created in 2006 using focus groups that asked participants with Rheumatoid Arthritis a series of questions based on existing questionnaire such as the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI), the ROductivity and DISease Questionnaire (PRODISQ), the Health and Labour Questionnaire (HLQ) and the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ), and newly developed questions. A preliminary VOLP was then created, and administered in a validation study in the UK. The results of the validation study have led to the development of the VOLP.