The effect of individual counselling and education on work ability and disability pension: a prospective intervention study in the construction industry.
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OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effectiveness of a counselling and education programme on work ability and work disability pension for employees in the construction industry. METHODS: Employees with a high disability risk of 38% or more in the following four years were included. Employees in the intervention group were either selected by an occupational physician or enrolled themselves. They received an assessment and individual programme focused on optimising work functioning, while the control group received care-as-usual. Data on work ability measured with the Work Ability Index (WAI) and work disability pensions were collected at baseline during a periodic occupational health examination and at 9, 18 and 26 months after the start of the intervention using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Most employees in both the intervention (n = 83) and control group (n = 209) were carpenters (43% and 37%) and bricklayers (7% and 15%). In the intervention group, 42% successfully completed the programme. Work ability in the intervention group was lower at baseline but showed an increase over time while work ability of the control group remained the same. The work ability in the intervention group improved slightly more (p = 0.09). No statistically significant differences in percentages of employees receiving a disability pension between the intervention and control group were found at 9 or 18 months and no differences in the age-adjusted percentages of employees receiving a disability pension were found between the groups at any measurement. CONCLUSIONS: The programme was slightly effective in improving the work ability but not in reducing work disability pensions. A more comprehensive multidisciplinary intervention programme might be necessary. (+info)
Prognostic factors for work ability in sicklisted employees with chronic diseases.
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OBJECTIVE: Identifying prognostic factors for work ability in sicklisted employees with myocardial infarction (MI), chronic low back pain (cLBP) and major depressive disorder (MDD) in order to establish an objective basis for work ability evaluation. DESIGN: Systematic literature search in PubMed database (1 January 1990 to 1 July 2006) with the Yale prognostic research filter. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) work-disabled employees; (2) MI, cLBP or MDD patients; (3) longitudinal designs; and (4) return to work or compensation status as outcome measure. RESULTS: four studies on mi met the inclusion criteria and described the following prognostic factors for work ability in the acute phase of the disease and disablement: lower age; male gender; no financial basis on which to retire; lower physical job demands; fewer somatic complaints; no anxiety attacks; no diabetes; no heart failure; no atrial fibrillation; no Q waves; and a short time interval between MI and presentation at the occupational medicine clinic. Two studies on cLBP met the inclusion criteria and described the following prognostic factors for work ability after 3 months' work disablement: lower age; male gender; no treatment before sick listing; surgery in the first year of sick listing; being a breadwinner; less pain; better general health; higher job satisfaction; lower physical and/or psychological demands at work; and a higher decision latitude at work. No relevant MDD studies were found. CONCLUSION: In the earlier phases of work disablement in MI and cLBP patients, only a few studies describe disease-specific, environmental and personal prognostic factors for return to work. No studies describe prognostic factors for MDD. More evidence is needed on the topic of prognostic factors for return to work in employees with chronic diseases. (+info)
Depression as a predictor of work resumption following myocardial infarction (MI): a review of recent research evidence.
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Fostering shared decision making by occupational therapists and workers involved in accidents resulting in persistent musculoskeletal disorders: a study protocol.
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Analysis of functional status, quality of life and community integration in earthquake survivors with spinal cord injury at hospital discharge and one-year follow-up in the community.
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