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Objective Functional impairment associated with Neurocognitive Disorder is often claimed in medico-legal settings after mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). This case–control study examined self-reported functional impairment and the plausibility of chronic disability claims following uncomplicated mTBI. Method Independent Medical Evaluations included a battery of performance and symptom validity tests, along with self-reports of physical or emotional complaints and functional impairment. Slick and colleagues' (Slick, D. J. Sherman, E. M. & Iverson, G. L. (1999). Diagnostic criteria for malingered neurocognitive dysfunction: Proposed standards for clinical practice and research. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 13 , 545–561.) criteria ruled out probable malingering in 21 mTBI cases without psychiatric comorbidity and their self-reports were compared to those of seven non-malingering cases with a psychiatric comorbidity, 17 who were probable malingerers, and 31 orthopedic pain sufferers. Coherence Analysis of medical documentation corroborated assignment of mTBI cases to non-malingering versus probable malingering groups. Results Probable malingerers reported more postconcussion symptoms than non-malingerers (d = 0.79) but they did not differ significantly on tests of neurocognitive performance. Probable malingerers and orthopedic pain patients gave significantly higher ratings of functional impairment (d = 1.28 and 1.26) than non-malingerers. Orthopedic pain patients reported more disability due to pain than non-malingerers (d = 1.03), but pain catastrophizing was rated more highly by the probable malingerers (d = 1.21) as well as by the orthopedic pain patients (d = 0.98). The non-malingerers reported lower emotional distress than the other three groups, but only the probable malingerers reported elevated depression symptoms compared to the non-malingerers (d = 1.01). Conclusions The combined evaluation of performance validity, function, and coherence analysis would appear to enhance the difficult clinical evaluation of postconcussion symptoms in the medical-legal setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose During return to work (RTW), communication between health care providers and employers largely takes place through standardize paper-based forms. Information technology (IT) platforms may provide advantages in enabling information exchange and decision-making through sharing of guidelines and resources. We investigated stakeholder perspectives on the prospect of IT use for RTW communication in Ontario, Canada. Methods Consistent with the exploratory nature of the questions, qualitative methods were used. Primary data were interviews with health care providers (HCPs), employers, and workers with experience in RTW. The first portion of initial interviews elicited general perspectives and experiences related to RTW communication. Participants were then exposed to a prototype IT communication platform and elicited their feedback. Follow-up interviews with HCP's and EMP's were used to allow further reflection and clarification of data. We used progressive, thematic coding to analyze data. Results 12 HCPs, 7 employers, and 5 workers participated in the study. Five inter-related themes were obtained. Participants expressed no absolute objection to the use of IT for RTW communication but varying degrees of support. Participants revealed how media change depended on a prospective IT innovation's perceived usefulness, fit with current practices, capacity to gain buy-in from other stakeholders, and ability to demonstrate positive performance in actual practice. Conclusions Findings suggest that a transition to an IT-mediated tool for RTW communication is supported in principle; however, major caveats exist in relation to perceived value and fit with stakeholder practice. System support and stakeholder cooperation are likely necessary to adopt the change, yet IT-mediated communication has yet to demonstrate value. To avoid circularity, proof of principal needs to be established through an implementation trial of such technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Healthcare professionals’ understanding of individuals with disabilities is essential to delivering equitable, high-quality care and fostering social inclusion. This study explores healthcare professionals' perceptions of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Rabat, Morocco, analyzing the influence of sociodemographic and professional factors and identifying key determinants shaping these perceptions. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2021. Questionnaires were distributed to 206 healthcare professionals, and responses from 92 participants were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate statistical methods. Results: Of the respondents, 26% held negative perceptions of PWDs, while 74% reported positive perceptions. Significant associations were identified between perceptions and factors such as gender, knowledge of disability management methods, and systematic screening practices. Multivariate analysis highlighted that knowledge of disability management methods and systematic screening significantly increased the likelihood of positive perceptions. Discussion: This study underscores the need to address knowledge and training gaps among healthcare professionals, emphasizing the importance of fostering empathy and inclusivity. By identifying key determinants, the findings offer actionable insights to improve professional practices and advance inclusive healthcare for individuals with disabilities.

Workplace health and safety is constantly evolving both in developed and developing countries. Under the tumultuous development of technology, working environments are changing, leading to the onset of new occupational hazards and unprecedented risk conditions deriving from the new ways of organizing work. At the same time, progress in medical science, with the knowledge in the fields of genetics, metabolomics, big data, and smart technologies, makes it possible to promptly identify and treat risk conditions that would have escaped notice in the past. Personalized occupational medicine represents the frontier of prevention in the workplace, from the perspective of total worker health and the sustainability of resources. The contributions to this Special Issue range from chemical, physical, and biological to psychosocial risks, and from the search for new ways to control long-known risks, such as mercury toxicity, to observations of the most frequent pathologies in the workplace in the last twenty years, such as repetitive trauma diseases, immunodeficiency transmitted as a result of biological injuries, and violence and psychological trauma in the workplace. New insights are needed in occupational health and safety practice to address the new challenges in this field.

Boxing exercise programs without direct contact with an opponent, is an adapted physical activity that integrate a series of tasks that may have positive effects on people with diverse health conditions. This study aimed to analyze the scientific evidence available on the effects of using adapted boxing as a rehabilitation strategy on people with diverse health conditions. A systematic review of the scientific literature was performed on studies which dealt with the effects of boxing as a rehabilitation strategy in people with diverse health conditions. Two modified scales were applied to assess the methodological quality of the findings. A total of 10 studies were included in the analysis, 4 of them were experimental and 6 observational. None of the studies reported injuries or other health complications derived from the exercise programs. The interventions led to improvements in cardiovascular fitness, upper body strength, body composition, coordination, gait independence and gait speed. The performance of adapted boxing is beneficial for people with diverse health conditions. Future randomized trials with larger samples would be needed to determine the most appropriate therapeutic dosing for each population.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the Danish national return-to-work (RTW) program in 21 Danish municipalities. METHODS: We conducted a structured process evaluation on (i) reach and recruitment, (ii) fidelity, (iii) dose-delivered, (iv) dose-received, and (v) context by formulating 29 implementation criteria and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from administrative records, interviews, field notes, and questionnaires. RESULTS: All municipalities integrated the basic features of the RTW program into the existing framework of the sickness benefit management system to an acceptable degree, ie, establishment of RTW teams, participation of RTW team members in the training courses, and following the general procedures of the program. However, the level of implementation varied considerably between the municipalities, particularly with respect to fidelity (defined as implementation consistent with the principles of the interdisciplinary RTW process). Five municipalities had high and eight had low fidelity scores. Similar large differences were found with regard to dose-delivered, particularly in the quality of cooperation with beneficiaries, employers, and general practitioners. Only 50% of the first consultations with the RTW coordinator were conducted in time. Among participants who were employed when their sickness absence period started, only 9% had at least one meeting with their workplace. CONCLUSION: It was feasible to implement the basic features of the Danish RTW program, however, large variations existed between municipalities. Establishment of well-functioning interdisciplinary RTW teams might require more time and resources, while ensuring early assessment and more frequent cooperation with employers might need more general adjustments in the Danish sickness benefit system.

Background: Many individuals of working age experience cardiovascular disease and are disabled from work as a result. The majority of research in cardiac work disability has focused on individual biological and psychological factors influencing work disability despite evidence of the importance of social context in work disability. In this article, the focus is on work and organisational features influencing the leeway (margin of manoeuvre) workers are afforded during work reintegration. Methods: A qualitative method was used. A large auto manufacturing plant was selected owing to work, organisational, and worker characteristics. Workplace context was assessed through site visits and meetings with stakeholders including occupational health, human resources and union personnel and a review of collective agreement provisions relating to seniority, benefits and accommodation. Worker experience was assessed using a series of in-depth interviews with workers (n = 12) returning to work at the plant following disabling cardiac illness. Data was analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Workers demonstrated variable levels of adjustment to the workplace that could be related to production expectations and work design. Policies and practices around electronic rate monitoring, seniority and accommodation, and disability management practices affected the buffer available to workers to adjust to the workplace. Conclusions: Work qualities and organisational resources establish a margin of manoeuver for work reintegration efforts. Practitioners need to inform themselves of the constraints on work accommodation imposed by work organisation and collective agreements. Organisations and labour need to reconsider policies and practices that creates unequal accommodation conditions for disabled workers. Implications for rehabilitation: Margin of manoeuvre offers a framework for evaluating and structuring work reintegration programmes. Assessing initial conditions for productivity expectations, context and ways and means to support work reintegration can be integrated with worker perceptions of work ability and possibilities for adaptation to structure and then monitor work reintegration programmes. Margin of manoeuvre can be used to evaluate sustainability of work at the end of rehabilitation. Cause-based workers' compensation schemes, collective agreement provisions, and organisational approaches to non-compensable disability create two tiers of disabled workers and make certain workers more vulnerable to occupational disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acquired brain injury (ABI) is known to be severely disabling. On average, 40% of employees return to work (RTW) within two years after injury. There is, however, limited research on what might contribute to successful RTW. Aim: To examine factors that might impact the time-to first RTW for patients with ABI, participating in a RTW-program. Methods: The study was designed as a cohort study of patients on sick leave due to mild or moderate ABI (n=137). The mean age of the patients was 51 years, and 58% were men. The most common diagnoses were stroke (75%) and traumatic brain injury (12%). Data were collected through questionnaires, and combined with register data on sickness absence. Survival analyses were used to analyse the effect of different variables on time to first RTW (full or partial), at one- and two-year follow-up. Results: Generally, women (HR=0.447; CI: 0.239-0.283) had higher RTW-rates than men, and patients with non-comorbid impairments returned to work earlier than patients with multiple impairments. Although not statistically significant, receiving individual consultations and participating in group-sessions were generally associated with a delayed RTW at both follow-up-times. The only service-related factor significantly associated with delayed RTW was meetings with the social insurance office (HR=0.522; CI: 0.282-0.965), and only at one-year follow-up. Conclusions: Women and patients with non-comorbid impairments returned to work earlier than men and patients with multiple impairments. There seems to be an association between intense and long-lasting participation in the RTW program and prolonged time-to first-RTW, even after controlling for level of cognitive impairments and comorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite their legal rights, individuals with disabilities face numerous obstacles to integration in the workplace which can result in their discharge from the labor force. Currently occupational physicians have few resources to help decide whether to integrate disabled workers in pre‐placement, or in cases of return‐to‐work. Methods: A network of 13 discussion groups comprised of the occupational physicians of each regional clinic of a large Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) in Israel was created to deal with disability management dilemmas. A moderator compiles and shares the physicians’ opinions and experiences with all network members thus assisting the consulting physician in decision‐making. Results: Successful management of three representative cases is described to illustrate real‐life implementations of this network. Conclusion: The network enables both the consulting and other physicians to tap a large knowledge base and decision‐making experience concerning cases of occupational disability management, contributing to professional development and improved service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Disability management (DM) is a systematic method to ensure job-retention and job-reintegration in competitive employment for individuals with a disability. There is evidence that ‘returning to work’ has a positive impact on the individual, the company and on the society. However, a clear overview of the efficacy and efficiency of the DM programs is scarce. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the efficacy and efficiency of the disability management programs. Cochrane, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science were searched from 1994 to 2015. METHODS: Two reviewers independently evaluated the articles on title, abstract, and full text. The data extraction and results are documented according to the study designs. RESULTS: Twenty-eight articles were included in the review. These 28 articles consisted of 7 systematic reviews, 3 randomized controlled trials, 9 clinical trials, 4 mixed-method studies and 5 qualitative studies. CONCLUSIONS: The DM program has shown to be effective and efficient. A consensus about the DM components is still not reached. Nevertheless, some components are emphasized more than others; job accommodation, facilitation of transitional duty, communication between all stakeholders, health care provider advice, early intervention, and acceptance, goodwill and trust in the stakeholders, in the organization, and in the disability management process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In resource poor settings innovative and bottom-up approaches are required to provide services to people with with disabilities. In this context, the present paper explains a community-based model of manpower development and coordination of services for people with intellectual disabilities in unified state of Andhra Pradesh in India. Women with disabilities from the village were identified, and those willing to be trained to work as community resource persons (CRPs) were selected and given hands-on training in a phased manner. A total of 130 women were trained in five groups of 25-30 per group and were deployed in the community to screen, identify and refer children with intellectual disabilities. The training content included basic stimulation and interface with functionaries of other government departments of health, education and welfare to ensure comprehensive service delivery. Neighbourhood centres (NHCs) were established where the CRPs could meet with families collectively. The results indicated that the CRPs were welcomed by the families. The NHCs established primarily as recreation centres, promoted inclusion and functioned as information dissemination centre. The services provided by the CRPs were owned and monitored by the Women's self-help group and the disability groups thus ensuring sustainability of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This research sought to determine whether there is a relationship between claimants' expected time to return to work (RTW) as recorded by claims managers and compensated days of work disability. Methods We utilized workers' compensation data from a large, United States-based insurance company. RTW expectations were collected within 30 days of the claim being reported and these were compared with the termination of total temporary indemnity payments. Bivariate and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. Results A significant relationship between expected time to RTW and compensated disability duration was observed. The unadjusted correlation between work-disability duration and expected time to RTW was .25 ( p < .001). Our multivariate model explained 29.8 % of the variance, with expected time to RTW explaining an additional 9.5 % of the variance in work-disability duration beyond what was explained by the covariates. Conclusion The current study's findings support the hypothesis that claimant RTW estimates as recorded by claims managers are significantly related to compensated-disability duration, and the relationship is maintained after controlling for variance that can be explained by other variables available within workers' compensation databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Human Resource Management / Zarzadzanie Zasobami Ludzkimi is the property of Institute of Labour & Social / Instytut Pracy i Spraw Socjalnych and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A Canadian sample was collected as an aspect of a large international project, with representation from Australia, Canada, China and Switzerland. In each country, interview and survey data were collected using team-created research tools. Canadian survey data on disability management (DM) perceptions were collected from 218 employees in both public and private organisations. Our Canadian employee sample reported perceived influence of disability prevention on job satisfaction, physical health, mental health and morale for both themselves and their coworkers. Return to work programs were seen as valuable for job satisfaction of both the employee and coworkers, as well as the physical health of coworkers. Similarly, stay at work programs were seen as valuable for mental health and morale of coworkers. There was no relationship between perceived influence of DM interventions and reduction of sickness absence. The influence of DM was perceived as more positive for private and/or nonunionised workplaces. No gender differences were evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La integración efectiva de las personas con discapacidad en la sociedad pasa por su incorporación en el mercado laboral. Más allá de las ventajas y desventajas de las diferentes políticas laborales, es importante profundizar en el estudio de los factores que favorecen su integración, especialmente en el mercado laboral ordinario. La Economía social se caracteriza por una serie de principios diferenciales, entre los que cabe destacar la valorización del ser humano y la generación de valor social por encima de los resultados económicos o financieros. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es analizar la contribución de la Economía social a la cohesión social en términos del empleo de trabajadores/as con discapacidad, y en particular, el cumplimiento de la cuota de reserva y, detectar tanto los elementos facilitadores como los principales obstáculos encontrados sobre los que trabajar en el diseño de políticas laborales para una mejor y mayor incorporación del colectivo. Para ello, se ha realizado una encuesta ad-hoc dirigida a empresas y entidades de la Economía social. Los resultados muestran que las entidades de la Economía social cumplen en su mayoría con la cuota de reserva, siendo este cumplimiento el principal facilitador de la integración de personas con discapacidad en sus plantillas, junto con la existencia de ayudas y/o desgravaciones fiscales. La mayoría de las entidades no encuentran dificultades en la integración del colectivo, aunque sí reconocen tener que enfrentarse a dificultades relacionadas con la adaptación de la persona al puesto y al entorno. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Mental health (MH) in the workplace affects employers financially through the increased use of health care, disability leave plans and a loss of productivity (Ritter, Reif & McGuire, 2009). OBJECTIVE: Increases in the prevalence ofMHrequires a better understanding of howemployers can createworkplaces that are psychologically healthy and decrease the impact of MH, such as disability management (DM) programs. Understanding how the workplace culture contributes to, or alleviates, the impact of MH in the workplace is critical. CONCLUSION: Disability management programs, combined with psychologically healthy workplaces, are important for ensuring that people with MH conditions have the supports in place through their employer to remain at work, or return to work. However, understanding successful integration of new employees withMHconditions is also important as a supportive workplace impacts the likelihood of continued employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the factors of successful return to employment among participants in the return to work program (RTW) following work-related injury. Data were obtained from the Social Security Organization database containing 9850 injured workers who underwent RTW in 2010 to 2013. About 65% had successfully returned to employment. Significant factors of successful return include gender, employer interest, motivation, age, intervention duration, and type of injury. Male and motivated employees were more likely to return to employment compared with female and unmotivated employees, respectively. Participants from interested employers were 23.22 times more likely to return to work than those from uninterested employers, whereas participants whose intervention period exceeded 5 months were 41% less likely to return to work compared with those whose intervention period was within 3 months. Appropriate strategy and enhanced collaboration between the stakeholders would improve the proportion of successful return to employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The cost of workplace absenteeism and presenteeism due to depression in the USA is substantial. Aims To assess the frequency of depression and its impact at the point of care in an occupational health (OH) practice. Methods Patients presenting to an OH practice completed a standardized depression screening tool and were compared to an unscreened group in the same clinic. Respondents with a nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score >15 and untreated for depression were referred for further evaluation per usual practice. A comparison group of unscreened patients were selected from the same clinic from 1 year prior and records were reviewed for evidence of prior depression, treatment and outcomes. After 1 year, frequency of depression, PHQ-9 scoring for screened patients, days absent from work, days on restricted duties and permanent restrictions were recorded for both groups. Results Two hundred and five patients were screened for depression. Screening was associated with increased frequency of a diagnosis of current depression (30 versus 4%; P < 0.05). Screening was associated with similar rates of absenteeism but lower number of days on restricted duties (97 versus 159 days; P < 0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, history of and treatment for depression, screening was associated with lower odds of being on work restrictions [odds ratio (OR) 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-0.78] or permanent restrictions (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.23-0.52). Conclusions Depression was common in this OH practice. Screening for depression, with appropriate recognition and referral, may reduce time for employed patients on restricted duties and permanent restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia is the property of Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia is the property of Giornale Italiano di Medicina del Lavoro ed Ergonomia Editorial Board and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: The International Classification of Functioning (ICF) has found widespread acceptance since it was launched in 2001. Yet, little is known about its use in Primary Care. This paper aims to contribute to the dialogue about the practical use of the ICF by exploring how this framework constitutes a supplementary source to inform disability-related decision making in integrated Primary Care. Method: The implementation process of the ICF in a Latin American Primary Care and Community-Based Rehabilitation setting is described and the ICF diagram is applied to a life story as an example of its current use. Participant observation, in-depth study of reports of team meetings and the review of clinical files are the main data collection methods. Data analysis is enabled by the combination of single-case study with theory testing, which facilitates the generation of hypotheses in this exploratory study. Results: A valuable time component of the ICF may support continuity in Primary Care and the universal application of the ICF framework can promote comprehensiveness by integrating individual rehabilitation and collective disability prevention. A way to mitigate the perceived dominance of biomedical disease and deficiency thinking is proposed in order to encourage the biopsychosocial focus of Primary Care. Finally, the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) in the health condition domain of the ICF highlights the importance of social responsibility towards disability. Conclusion: This study suggests that a creative implementation of the ICF during life course to everyone who uses universally accessible healthcare may strengthen the integrative functions of Primary Care, and may be at the heart of the information system of this essential part of the healthcare system. Further research on the complementary use of ICF and ICD-10 is suggested in order to support community-based multisectoral intervention which may be coordinated by Primary Care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor safety record of the construction industry raises concerns about the extent to which it is able to integrate workers disabled as a result of a workplace injury back to the workplace. A review of the literature indicates there is little empirical evidence about the status of disability management (DM) in the Canadian construction industry, specifically with respect to injured construction workers returning to the workplace with a disability. To address this limitation, a web-based survey was administered to a sample of Manitoban construction organizations to enquire about workers disabled as a result of a workplace injury in the industry, practices in place to accommodate them, and barriers to their employment. The analysis of the responses of 88 organizations showed that the majority of responding organizations employed few disabled workers. Disabilities due to musculoskeletal injuries were the most common, followed by physical mobility and hearing impairments. Respondents saw retaining valued and experienced employees and maintaining employee morale as the main reasons for implementing a DM program. They also found the lack of suitable modified or alternate work to be the most important barrier to DM; however, they identified the provision of such work as the most common practice implemented by them, raising questions about this work's suitability to disabled workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the Danish national return-to-work (RTW) program in 21 Danish municipalities. Methods We conducted a structured process evaluation on (i) reach and recruitment, (ii) fidelity, (iii) dosedelivered, (iv) dose-received, and (v) context by formulating 29 implementation criteria and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from administrative records, interviews, field notes, and questionnaires. Results All municipalities integrated the basic features of the RTW program into the existing framework of the sickness benefit management system to an acceptable degree, ie, establishment of RTW teams, participation of RTW team members in the training courses, and following the general procedures of the program. However, the level of implementation varied considerably between the municipalities, particularly with respect to fidelity (defined as implementation consistent with the principles of the interdisciplinary RTW process). Five municipalities had high and eight had low fidelity scores. Similar large differences were found with regard to dose-delivered, particularly in the quality of cooperation with beneficiaries, employers, and general practitioners. Only 50% of the first consultations with the RTW coordinator were conducted in time. Among participants who were employed when their sickness absence period started, only 9% had at least one meeting with their workplace. Conclusion It was feasible to implement the basic features of the Danish RTW program, however, large variations existed between municipalities. Establishment of well-functioning interdisciplinary RTW teams might require more time and resources, while ensuring early assessment and more frequent cooperation with employers might need more general adjustments in the Danish sickness benefit system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vocational rehabilitation services have been implemented in a number of countries to facilitate the return to work of sick and injured workers, yet little research has been undertaken to document competencies required to provide services globally. This study compared the job tasks, functions, and knowledge domains deemed important by Australian and German rehabilitation professionals working in vocational rehabilitation settings to identify common practice domains. An online survey comprising items from the Rehabilitation Skills Inventory–Amended and the International Survey of Disability Management was completed by 149 Australian and 217 German rehabilitation professionals. Items from each measure were submitted to factor analysis, using principal axis factoring as the extraction technique. Three common domains were identified: (a) vocational counseling, (b) workplace disability case management, and (c) workplace intervention and program management. Differences in skill and knowledge domains centered on the levels of specialization in vocational rehabilitation practices in each country. Ongoing transnational research is required to ensure that a “global curriculum” covers core competencies, while at the same time allowing for specialization at a local level. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Human Resource Management / Zarzadzanie Zasobami Ludzkimi is the property of Institute of Labour & Social / Instytut Pracy i Spraw Socjalnych and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND: It is well established that environmental factors can have impact upon an injured person's recovery and return-to-work outcomes. To date, there has been no cohesive model to provide theoretical understanding of the way in which these divergent factors combine to create disability behaviours. OBJECT: Development of a conceptual model for understanding the development of disability behavior. METHODS: Interpolation from existing neuroplasticity theory to observed behaviors and studies of behavior in the workers' compensation environment, including existing research concerning predictors for disability. RESULTS: The paper describes a conceptual model for understanding instances of disability that are not necessarily attributable to physical harm. Preliminary testing provides support for the model.CONCLUSIONS: Factors that contribute to the formation of a neural network supporting the behavior of learned disability are described. From that description, intervention methods to prevent or resolve so-called "needless disability" are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions can help to reduce the duration and cost of work disability, and in turn, prevent the negative effects of long-term sickness absence. However, there are a number of complex cognitive, affective and behavioural factors that can impact an individual's confidence, motivation and willingness to RTW that need to be addressed to facilitate effective outcomes. This literature review investigates evidence for the use of motivational interviewing (MI) for improving return-to-work (RTW) and employment outcomes. Whilst evidence for the efficacy of MI in clinical settings to motivate health behaviour change is strong, more research is needed to determine whether MI can be usefully applied to improve RTW and other work-related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: This paper presents results from a Campbell systematic review on the nature and effectiveness of workplace disability management programs (WPDM) promoting return to work (RTW), as implemented and practiced by employers. A classification of WPDM program components, based on the review results, is proposed. Methods: Twelve databases were searched between 1948 to July 2010 for peer-reviewed studies of WPDM programs provided by employers to re-entering workers with occupational or non-occupational illnesses or injuries. Screening of articles, risk of bias assessment and data extraction were conducted in pairs of reviewers. Studies were clustered around various dimensions of the design and context of programs. Results: 16,932 records were identified by the initial search. 599 papers were assessed for relevance. Thirteen studies met inclusion criteria. Twelve peer reviewed articles (two non-randomized studies, and ten single group experimental before and after studies), including ten different WPDM programs informed the synthesis of results. Narrative descriptions of the included program characteristics provided insight on program scope, components, procedures and human resources involved. However, there were insufficient data on the characteristics of the sample and the effect sizes were uncertain. A taxonomy classifying policies and practices around WPDM programs is proposed. Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of employer provided WPDM programs promoting RTW. It was not possible to determine if specific program components or specific sets of components are driving effectiveness. The proposed taxonomy may guide future WPDM program evaluation and clarify the setup of programs offered to identify gaps in existing company strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]