Common mental disorders and subsequent work disability: a population-based Health 2000 Study.

PubMed

Ahola, Kirsi; Virtanen, Marianna; Honkonen, Teija; Isometsä, Erkki; Aromaa, Arpo; Lönnqvist, Jouko

2011-11-01

Work disability due to common mental disorders has increased in Western countries during the past decade. The contribution of depressive, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders to all disability pensions at the population level is not known. Epidemiological health data from the Finnish Health 2000 Study, gathered in 2000-2001, was linked to the national register on disability pensions granted due to the ICD-10 diagnoses up to December 2007. Mental health at baseline was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Sociodemographic, clinical, and work-related factors, health behaviors, and treatment setting were used as covariates in the logistic regression analyses among the 3164 participants aged 30-58 years. Anxiety, depressive, and comorbid common mental disorders predicted disability pension when adjusted for sex and age. In the fully adjusted multivariate model, comorbid common mental disorders, as well as physical illnesses, age over 45 years, short education, high job strain, and previous long-term sickness absence predicted disability pension. The study population included persons aged 30 or over. Sub groups according to mental disorders were quite small which may have diminished statistical power in some sub groups. Baseline predictors were measured only once and the length of exposure could not be determined. The systems regarding financial compensation to employees differ between countries. Comorbid mental disorders pose a high risk for disability pension. Other independent predictors of work disability include socio-demographic, clinical, work-related, and treatment factors, but not health behavior. More attention should be paid to work-related factors in order to prevent chronic work disability. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Virtual exclusion and telework: barriers and opportunities of technocentric workplace accommodation policy.

PubMed

Baker, Paul M A; Moon, Nathan W; Ward, Andrew C

2006-01-01

Teleworking, a restructuring of the manner in which work occurs, based on information communication technologies (ICTs), is a promising way of further integrating people with disabilities into the workplace. In contrast to telecommuting, in which the work is primarily shifted in locale, telework is a restructuring of the tasks to be accomplished within the larger work setting which could result in "work" being done remotely, or collaboratively with coworkers (remotely or not) using ICTs. Drawing upon a review of the literature, this paper explores the relationship between telework and people with disabilities. While the advent of telecommuting and subsequently "teleworking" might open increased opportunities for the hiring of people with disabilities, it may also place severe constraints on the type of work, workplace environment and interactions, and accumulation of social capital for people with disabilities. Whereas much of the prevailing literature on telework and disability is often proscriptive in nature and is written with an audience of employers in mind, it is just as important to consider policy options from the standpoint of the employee as well. This paper proposes a number of policy approaches for the creation of an inclusive work environment for teleworkers with disabilities that can minimize, as much as possible, the social isolation faced by teleworkers with disabilities while maximizing their participation within the workplace community. Policy objectives for enhancing telework for people with disabilities fall into three general categories: 1) research, 2) outreach, and 3) interventions.

A 15-year prospective study of shift work and disability pension

PubMed Central

Tüchsen, F; Christensen, K B; Lund, T; Feveile, H

2008-01-01

Objective: To estimate the hazard ratio for disability pension associated with shift work. Methods: Cohorts of shift and day workers were identified in three waves of the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study and followed up for incidence of disability pension in a national register of social transfer payment. A total of 3980 female and 4025 male employees were included in the cohorts. Information about shift work status, age, smoking habits, body mass index and ergonomic work environment were updated according to responses in subsequent waves of the survey when possible. Respondents reporting shift work were classified as shift workers in the following waves as well. Respondents were followed in the register from the time of first interview and were censored at the time of their 60th birthday, emigration, death or end of follow-up (18 June 2006). The authors used the Cox proportional hazards model to estimate hazard ratios for incidence of disability pension and 95% confidence intervals. Results: The authors observed 253 new disability pensions among women and 173 among men during 56 903 and 57 886 person-years at risk respectively, Among women, shift work predicted disability after adjustment for age, general health and socioeconomic status HR 1.39 (95% CI 1.07 to 1.82). After further adjustment for body mass index, smoking habits, socioeconomic status and ergonomic exposures the association remained statistically significant HR 1.34 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.75). Shift work was not associated with disability among men. Conclusion: Shift work might be moderately associated with disability pension among women; however, more powerful studies are needed to establish the possible association. PMID:18198201

Perspectives of employees with intellectual disabilities on themes relevant to their job satisfaction. an explorative study using photovoice.

PubMed

Akkerman, Alma; Janssen, Cees G C; Kef, Sabina; Meininger, Herman P

2014-11-01

This study explored the perspectives of people with intellectual disabilities on themes relevant to their job satisfaction in integrated and sheltered employment. The photovoice method was used. Nine participants with moderate to mild intellectual disabilities, working in integrated and sheltered employment, took pictures of aspects related to their job satisfaction. Each participant was subsequently interviewed about his/her pictures. Interview transcripts were content analysed to distinguish themes. Nine themes were found: the nature of the work itself, working conditions, experienced job demands, social relations at work, received support, perceived autonomy, opportunities for using competencies, opportunities for growth and development and meaningfulness. All themes were applicable in integrated and sheltered employment. From the perspective of people with intellectual disabilities, various themes relate to their job satisfaction, either in positive or negative ways. Photovoice appeared to be a valuable approach, facilitating participants in expressing their views and providing in-depth information. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Follow-Up Study on Return to Work in the Year After Reporting an Occupational Injury Stratified by Outcome of the Workers' Compensation System.

PubMed

Rudbeck, Marianne; Johansen, Jens Peter; Omland, Øyvind

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare return rates to work between different groups according to the decision from the workers' compensation. Register data on disability benefits were used to describe return rates to work in Kaplan-Meier curves and association with decision on compensation claims. Disability benefits were granted by the municipalities independently of any compensation claim if sick-listed. Claimants with ongoing claims were the group with the largest proportion remaining on disability benefits. Claimants with rejected claims returned to work at the same rate (occupational disease) or slower (industrial accident) than claimants with recognized claim without compensation the subsequent year and at a faster rate after decision. Compensation claims and proceedings of the workers' compensation system probably increase time to return to work; other factors such as health and social difficulties, however, may explain some of these differences.

Work disability remains a major problem in rheumatoid arthritis in the 2000s: data from 32 countries in the QUEST-RA study.

PubMed

Sokka, Tuulikki; Kautiainen, Hannu; Pincus, Theodore; Verstappen, Suzanne M M; Aggarwal, Amita; Alten, Rieke; Andersone, Daina; Badsha, Humeira; Baecklund, Eva; Belmonte, Miguel; Craig-Müller, Jürgen; da Mota, Licia Maria Henrique; Dimic, Alexander; Fathi, Nihal A; Ferraccioli, Gianfranco; Fukuda, Wataru; Géher, Pál; Gogus, Feride; Hajjaj-Hassouni, Najia; Hamoud, Hisham; Haugeberg, Glenn; Henrohn, Dan; Horslev-Petersen, Kim; Ionescu, Ruxandra; Karateew, Dmitry; Kuuse, Reet; Laurindo, Ieda Maria Magalhaes; Lazovskis, Juris; Luukkainen, Reijo; Mofti, Ayman; Murphy, Eithne; Nakajima, Ayako; Oyoo, Omondi; Pandya, Sapan C; Pohl, Christof; Predeteanu, Denisa; Rexhepi, Mjellma; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Sharma, Banwari; Shono, Eisuke; Sibilia, Jean; Sierakowski, Stanislaw; Skopouli, Fotini N; Stropuviene, Sigita; Toloza, Sergio; Valter, Ivo; Woolf, Anthony; Yamanaka, Hisashi

2010-01-01

Work disability is a major consequence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), associated not only with traditional disease activity variables, but also more significantly with demographic, functional, occupational, and societal variables. Recent reports suggest that the use of biologic agents offers potential for reduced work disability rates, but the conclusions are based on surrogate disease activity measures derived from studies primarily from Western countries. The Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with RA (QUEST-RA) multinational database of 8,039 patients in 86 sites in 32 countries, 16 with high gross domestic product (GDP) (>24K US dollars (USD) per capita) and 16 low-GDP countries (<11K USD), was analyzed for work and disability status at onset and over the course of RA and clinical status of patients who continued working or had stopped working in high-GDP versus low-GDP countries according to all RA Core Data Set measures. Associations of work disability status with RA Core Data Set variables and indices were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses. At the time of first symptoms, 86% of men (range 57%-100% among countries) and 64% (19%-87%) of women <65 years were working. More than one third (37%) of these patients reported subsequent work disability because of RA. Among 1,756 patients whose symptoms had begun during the 2000s, the probabilities of continuing to work were 80% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78%-82%) at 2 years and 68% (95% CI 65%-71%) at 5 years, with similar patterns in high-GDP and low-GDP countries. Patients who continued working versus stopped working had significantly better clinical status for all clinical status measures and patient self-report scores, with similar patterns in high-GDP and low-GDP countries. However, patients who had stopped working in high-GDP countries had better clinical status than patients who continued working in low-GDP countries. The most significant identifier of work disability in all subgroups was Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) functional disability score. Work disability rates remain high among people with RA during this millennium. In low-GDP countries, people remain working with high levels of disability and disease activity. Cultural and economic differences between societies affect work disability as an outcome measure for RA.

Work disability remains a major problem in rheumatoid arthritis in the 2000s: data from 32 countries in the QUEST-RA Study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Introduction Work disability is a major consequence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), associated not only with traditional disease activity variables, but also more significantly with demographic, functional, occupational, and societal variables. Recent reports suggest that the use of biologic agents offers potential for reduced work disability rates, but the conclusions are based on surrogate disease activity measures derived from studies primarily from Western countries. Methods The Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with RA (QUEST-RA) multinational database of 8,039 patients in 86 sites in 32 countries, 16 with high gross domestic product (GDP) (>24K US dollars (USD) per capita) and 16 low-GDP countries (<11K USD), was analyzed for work and disability status at onset and over the course of RA and clinical status of patients who continued working or had stopped working in high-GDP versus low-GDP countries according to all RA Core Data Set measures. Associations of work disability status with RA Core Data Set variables and indices were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses. Results At the time of first symptoms, 86% of men (range 57%-100% among countries) and 64% (19%-87%) of women <65 years were working. More than one third (37%) of these patients reported subsequent work disability because of RA. Among 1,756 patients whose symptoms had begun during the 2000s, the probabilities of continuing to work were 80% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78%-82%) at 2 years and 68% (95% CI 65%-71%) at 5 years, with similar patterns in high-GDP and low-GDP countries. Patients who continued working versus stopped working had significantly better clinical status for all clinical status measures and patient self-report scores, with similar patterns in high-GDP and low-GDP countries. However, patients who had stopped working in high-GDP countries had better clinical status than patients who continued working in low-GDP countries. The most significant identifier of work disability in all subgroups was Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) functional disability score. Conclusions Work disability rates remain high among people with RA during this millennium. In low-GDP countries, people remain working with high levels of disability and disease activity. Cultural and economic differences between societies affect work disability as an outcome measure for RA. PMID:20226018

Evaluating Vocational Educators' Training Programs: A Kirkpatrick-Inspired Evaluation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ravicchio, Fabrizio; Trentin, Guglielmo

2015-01-01

The aim of the article is to describe the assessment model adopted by the SCINTILLA Project, a project in Italy aimed at the online vocational training of young, seriously-disabled subjects and their subsequent work inclusion in smart-work mode. It will thus describe the model worked out for evaluation of the training program conceived for the…

The psychological well-being of disability caregivers: examining the roles of family strain, family-to-work conflict, and perceived supervisor support.

PubMed

Li, Andrew; Shaffer, Jonathan; Bagger, Jessica

2015-01-01

We draw on the cross-domain model of work-family conflict and conservation of resources theory to examine the relationship between disability caregiving demands and the psychological well-being of employed caregivers. Using a sample of employed disability caregivers from a national survey, we found that the relationship between caregiving demands and family-to-work conflict was stronger when employees experienced high levels of strain from family. Additionally, we found high levels of family to-work conflict were subsequently associated with decreases in life satisfaction and increases in depression, but only when perceived supervisor support was low. Overall, our findings suggest an indirect relationship between caregiving demands and psychological well-being that is mediated by family-to-work conflict and is conditional on family strain and perceived supervisor support. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

[A blind bicycle repair man at the Stedelijk Museum: the exhibition and congress 'labour for the disabled' of 1928].

PubMed

Hermans, H J E; Schmidt, S H

2002-01-01

In the 1920's concern about the rising number of disabled unemployed urban poor led to the founding of the AVO (Dutch organization for labour care for the disabled) in 1927. The AVO presented the problem of the vulnerability of the physically and mentally disabled in the labour market as a matter of collective responsibility. At the Amsterdam AVO congress of 1928 expert contributors discussed the economic, social and medical aspects of disability and work. Simultaneously, a museum exhibition aimed at arousing the interest of the general public and at promoting a more understanding attitude towards the disabled. Though the twofold AVO manifestation raised an immediate favourable general response and the subject was put on the political agenda, the subsequent economic recession and war forestalled concrete measures. Essentially it was the first public debate on disability in the Netherlands.

Finding Universals through Difference: Disability Theory's Potential to Empower Composition Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanton, Courtney

2016-01-01

While much attention has been paid to the borders between those within and beyond the discipline of composition, the primary goal of this project is to examine the discourses which exist within composition and, subsequently, how these discourses might work to undermine pedagogy and scholarship. I take the position that even those working directly…

A Conceptual Foundation for Measures of Physical Function and Behavioral Health Function for Social Security Work Disability Evaluation

PubMed Central

Marfeo, Elizabeth E.; Haley, Stephen M.; Jette, Alan M.; Eisen, Susan V.; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Meterko, Mark; McDonough, Christine M.; Chan, Leighton; Brandt, Diane E.; Rasch, Elizabeth K.

2014-01-01

Physical and mental impairments represent the two largest health condition categories for which workers receive Social Security disability benefits. Comprehensive assessment of physical and mental impairments should include aspects beyond medical conditions such as a person’s underlying capabilities as well as activity demands relevant to the context of work. The objective of this paper is to describe the initial conceptual stages of developing new measurement instruments of behavioral health and physical functioning relevant for Social Security work disability evaluation purposes. To outline a clear conceptualization of the constructs to be measured, two content models were developed using structured and informal qualitative approaches. We performed a structured literature review focusing on work disability and incorporating aspects of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) as a unifying taxonomy for framework development. Expert interviews provided advice and consultation to enhance face validity of the resulting content models. The content model for work-related behavioral health function identifies five major domains (1) Behavior Control, (2) Basic Interactions, (3) Temperament and Personality, (4) Adaptability, and (5) Workplace Behaviors. The content model describing physical functioning includes three domains (1) Changing and Maintaining Body Position, (2) Whole Body Mobility, and (3) Carrying, Moving and Handling Objects. These content models informed subsequent measurement properties including item development, measurement scale construction, and provided conceptual coherence guiding future empirical inquiry. The proposed measurement approaches show promise to comprehensively and systematically assess physical and behavioral health functioning relevant to work. PMID:23548543

Perceptions towards disability among social work students in Israel: Development and validation of a new scale.

PubMed

Holler, Roni; Werner, Shirli

2018-05-01

Over the last decades, the disability movement has been advocating for a paradigmatic shift in how disability is perceived and managed: from a medical or individual perspective focusing on the person's body and mind to a social perspective emphasizing the context and barriers of disability. However, we still know little about the perceptions of helping professionals, particularly social workers who work closely with disabled people. Thus, the aim of the current study is to develop and validate a scale-Perceptions Toward Disability Scale (PTDS)-to measure how social workers view disability: as an individual or social category. This paper describes the three phases of the scale's construction. First, scale items were formulated and its content validity was examined. Next, a pilot of 30 social workers completed a questionnaire and an initial exploratory factor analysis was conducted. In the third and main phase, the final draft was completed in 2016 by 565 Israeli social work students to assess its psychometric properties. Both exploratory and confirmatory factorial validity and discriminant validity analyses were conducted. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis revealed two distinct factors: an individual perspective of disability comprised of eight items (α = 0.77) and a social perspective of disability comprised of ten (α = 0.66). Subsequent analyses supported the scale's discriminant validity as indicated by the lack of an association between the Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale (ATDP) and the social model subscale (r = .13, p = .19) and by the weak negative relation with the individual model subscale (r = -.25, p = .01). These findings show that the PTDS possesses promising construct validity and provide support for its utility. This easy-to-administer instrument offers several practical benefits and can serve as a framework for further empirical research regarding social work practice with disabled people. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Economic Independence among Former Students with Special Educational Needs: Changes and Continuities from Their Late Twenties to Their Mid-Thirties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myklebust, Jon Olav; Båtevik, Finn Ove

2014-01-01

Abundant research exists on the transition from school to work of youth with disabilities. However, few studies investigate their subsequent long-term participation in working life. This study, drawing on a life course approach, aimed to examine how former students with special educational needs succeeded in finding full-time employment with…

Conceptual foundation for measures of physical function and behavioral health function for Social Security work disability evaluation.

PubMed

Marfeo, Elizabeth E; Haley, Stephen M; Jette, Alan M; Eisen, Susan V; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Meterko, Mark; McDonough, Christine M; Chan, Leighton; Brandt, Diane E; Rasch, Elizabeth K

2013-09-01

Physical and mental impairments represent the 2 largest health condition categories for which workers receive Social Security disability benefits. Comprehensive assessment of physical and mental impairments should include aspects beyond medical conditions such as a person's underlying capabilities as well as activity demands relevant to the context of work. The objective of this article is to describe the initial conceptual stages of developing new measurement instruments of behavioral health and physical functioning relevant for Social Security work disability evaluation purposes. To outline a clear conceptualization of the constructs to be measured, 2 content models were developed using structured and informal qualitative approaches. We performed a structured literature review focusing on work disability and incorporating aspects of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a unifying taxonomy for framework development. Expert interviews provided advice and consultation to enhance face validity of the resulting content models. The content model for work-related behavioral health function identifies 5 major domains: (1) behavior control, (2) basic interactions, (3) temperament and personality, (4) adaptability, and (5) workplace behaviors. The content model describing physical functioning includes 3 domains: (1) changing and maintaining body position, (2) whole-body mobility, and (3) carrying, moving, and handling objects. These content models informed subsequent measurement properties including item development and measurement scale construction, and provided conceptual coherence guiding future empirical inquiry. The proposed measurement approaches show promise to comprehensively and systematically assess physical and behavioral health functioning relevant to work. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Incident and recurrent back injuries among union carpenters.

PubMed

Lipscomb, H J; Cameron, W; Silverstein, B

2008-12-01

To describe incident and recurrent work-related back injuries among union carpenters, describe the hazard function for each and associated risk factors, and explore predictors of subsequent musculoskeletal back injury based on different definitions of the initial injury. This study identified a dynamic cohort of 18 768 carpenters who worked in the State of Washington 1989-2003, their hours worked each month, and their work-related back injuries and medical claims for treatment including ICD-9 codes. Using Poisson regression we calculated rates and rate ratios (RRs) of incident and recurrent injury adjusting for age, gender, union tenure and type of carpentry work. Predictors of subsequent musculoskeletal back injury were explored based on different definitions of the incident injury, as were time periods of greatest risk following return to work. Recurrent back injuries occurred at a rate 80% higher than initial injuries. Survival curves were significantly different for incident and recurrent injuries, but patterns of relative risk were similar. Individuals with greatest union tenure were at lowest risk, likely reflecting a healthy worker effect or lower physical exposures with seniority. Individuals with long periods of work disability with their first injury were at particularly high risk of subsequent musculoskeletal injury compared with those with no prior history (RR 2.3; 95% CI 2.0 to 2.7), as were individuals with degenerative diagnoses (RR 2.0; 95% CI 1.5 to 2.6). Risk for second injury peaked between 1000 and 1500 h after return to work and then gradually declined. Carpenters with long periods of work disability following back injury warrant accommodation and perhaps better rehabilitation efforts to avoid re-injury. Challenges to workplace accommodation and limited ability to clearly define readiness to return to work following injury demonstrate the need for primary prevention of back injuries through attention to engineering solutions among carpenters involved in strenuous work.

Neuraxial labor analgesia for vaginal delivery and its effects on childhood learning disabilities.

PubMed

Flick, Randall P; Lee, Kunmoo; Hofer, Ryan E; Beinborn, Charles W; Hambel, Ellen M; Klein, Melissa K; Gunn, Paul W; Wilder, Robert T; Katusic, Slavica K; Schroeder, Darrell R; Warner, David O; Sprung, Juraj

2011-06-01

In prior work, children born to mothers who received neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery had a lower incidence of subsequent learning disabilities compared with vaginal delivery. The authors speculated that neuraxial anesthesia may reduce stress responses to delivery, which could affect subsequent neurodevelopmental outcomes. To further explore this possibility, we examined the association between the use of neuraxial labor analgesia and development of childhood learning disabilities in a population-based birth cohort of children delivered vaginally. The educational and medical records of all children born to mothers residing in the area of 5 townships of Olmsted County, Minnesota from 1976 to 1982 and remaining in the community at age 5 years were reviewed to identify those with learning disabilities. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compare the incidence of learning disabilities between children delivered vaginally with and without neuraxial labor analgesia, including analyses adjusted for factors of either potential clinical relevance or that differed between the 2 groups in univariate analysis. Of the study cohort, 4684 mothers delivered children vaginally, with 1495 receiving neuraxial labor analgesia. The presence of childhood learning disabilities in the cohort was not associated with use of labor neuraxial analgesia (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.05; 95%confidence interval, 0.85-1.31; P = 0.63). The use of neuraxial analgesia during labor and vaginal delivery was not independently associated with learning disabilities diagnosed before age 19 years. Future studies are needed to evaluate potential mechanisms of the previous finding indicating that the incidence of learning disabilities is lower in children born to mothers via cesarean delivery under neuraxial anesthesia compared with vaginal delivery.

Marital Status as a Moderating Factor in the Process of Disablement.

PubMed

Kail, Ben Lennox

2016-02-01

To test current marital status as a moderator on the influence of depressive symptoms and chronic conditions on subsequent functional limitations. Data come from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; 1998-2010). Hierarchal linear modeling models tested differences in functional limitations among a sample of 20,215 people. At baseline, married people suffered from fewer subsequent functional limitations than the unmarried. Moreover, limited evidence suggests the influence of depressive symptoms was greater for the married than the unmarried; however, the influence of chronic conditions was consistently attenuated for married people. Accounting for differences in prior health, work, socioeconomic status, and health behaviors did not explain the moderating influence of marital status on the associations between symptoms of depression and chronic conditions with functional limitations. This research highlights the need to identify potential modifiers that may help disrupt the process of disablement among both the married and the unmarried alike. © The Author(s) 2015.

[Guidelines for employment policies in Europe and national action plans: opportunities for people with disabilities].

PubMed

Niehaus, M

2000-06-01

The scourge of unemployment has been roundly identified throughout Europe as the most pressing social and economic problem on the current political agenda. At Luxembourg in November 1997, the European Jobs Summit brought Europe's leaders together in an historic occasion that mapped out employment guidelines for Europe. The Luxembourg Jobs Summit agreed a set of guidelines for the Member States employment policy under four pillars, employability, entrepreneurship, adaptability, and equal opportunities. One guideline referred to promoting integration of people with disabilities into working life. The Member States subsequently agreed to incorporate the Guidelines into national employment action plans. The question of this paper is, to what extent do employment guidelines and National Action Plans improve the opportunities of disabled persons? This paper seeks to establish a set of fundamental issues concerning employment and disability. Included in this analysis are recommendations in order to achieve a better presence of disabled people in National Action Plans in future.

The development of a framework for high-quality, sustainable and accessible rural private therapy under the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme.

PubMed

Dew, Angela; Barton, Rebecca; Ragen, Jo; Bulkeley, Kim; Iljadica, Alexandra; Chedid, Rebecca; Brentnall, Jennie; Bundy, Anita; Lincoln, Michelle; Gallego, Gisselle; Veitch, Craig

2016-12-01

The Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will provide people with individual funding with which to purchase services such as therapy from private providers. This study developed a framework to support rural private therapists to meet the anticipated increase in demand. The study consisted of three stages utilizing focus groups, interviews and an online expert panel. Participants included private therapists delivering services in rural New South Wales (n = 28), disability service users (n = 9) and key representatives from a range of relevant consumer and service organizations (n = 16). We conducted a thematic analysis of focus groups and interview data and developed a draft framework which was subsequently refined based on feedback from stakeholders. The framework highlights the need for a 'rural-proofed' policy context in which service users, therapists and communities engage collaboratively in a therapy pathway. This collaborative engagement is supported by enablers, including networks, resources and processes which are influenced by the drivers of time, cost, opportunity and motivation. The framework identifies factors that will facilitate delivery of high-quality, sustainable, individualized private therapy services for people with a disability in rural Australia under the NDIS and emphasizes the need to reconceptualize the nature of private therapy service delivery. Implications for Rehabilitation Rural private therapists need upskilling to work with individuals with disability who have individual funding such as that provided by the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme. Therapists working in rural communities need to consider alternative ways of delivering therapy to individuals with disability beyond the traditional one-on-one therapy models. Rural private therapists need support to work collaboratively with individuals with disability and the local community. Rural private therapists should harness locally available and broader networks, resources and processes to meet the needs and goals of individuals with disability.

Effort-reward imbalance is associated with salivary immunoglobulin a and cortisol secretion in disability workers.

PubMed

Wright, Bradley James

2011-03-01

This study attempted to determine the relationship of physiological indices of stress (ie, cortisol and salivary immunoglobulin A) to the effort-reward imbalance model (ERI). A sample of 98 direct-care disability workers completed the Work-Related Questions II-III and provided morning saliva samples on the same day of completion, which were subsequently analyzed for cortisol and salivary immunoglobulin A concentration levels. Using structural equation modeling, the ERI successfully predicted potentially adverse physiological outcomes. The salivary immunoglobulin A scores were predicted more successfully by the ERI than the cortisol data. The present investigation suggests that the ERI may be useful in determining which aspects of work life are associated with ill health and as such may be useful in identifying meaningful intervention.

A Social Constructionist Approach to Disability: Implications for Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anastasiou, Dimitris; Kauffman, James M.

2011-01-01

Proponents of a social model of disability derive their arguments from social constructionism. They combine different disabling conditions under one term: disability. Subsequently, they apply the specific viewpoint of the disability rights social movement of people with physical disabilities to other conditions such as intellectual disabilities,…

One's Enough for Now: Children, Disability, and the Subsequent Childbearing of Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacInnes, Maryhelen D.

2008-01-01

This mixed-methods study explores the subsequent childbearing of mothers whose firstborn children have disabilities. I make use of matched data from the 1993 NHIS-1995 NSFG (N = 4,468) to determine the effects of child disability on the hazard of a second birth and draw on a series of 24 in-depth interviews that explore the lived experience of…

Parenting work and autism trajectories of care.

PubMed

Singh, Jennifer S

2016-09-01

This study investigates the work and care associated with raising a child with disabilities in the United States. Based on in-depth interviews with parents who have a child with autism, it develops the notion of parenting work and trajectories of care to investigate how parents navigate and coordinate the challenges of getting an autism diagnosis, obtaining educational services, and re-contextualising the possibilities for the future. I argue that parents embody a complex mix of love, hope, and responsibility in parenting work and trajectories of care that expands temporal and social elements of illness work and trajectories initially developed by Anselm Strauss and colleagues. This type of parenting work changes over time and is influenced by social structural forces and relationships in which the care takes place. The re-articulation of these analytic tools also begins to untangle the intricate mix of both medical and social models of disability that parents embrace and continuously negotiate. This study demonstrates how parents accept the medical model of disability by seeking and pushing for a clinical autism diagnosis and subsequent treatments, while at the same time challenge the limits placed on their children by providing them with opportunities, possible futures, and a sense of personhood. A Virtual Abstract of this paper can be accessed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0UmGvpcjeQ. © 2016 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

Does social support modify the effect of disability acquisition on mental health? A longitudinal study of Australian adults.

PubMed

Aitken, Zoe; Krnjacki, Lauren; Kavanagh, Anne Marie; LaMontagne, Anthony Daniel; Milner, Allison

2017-10-01

Disability acquisition in adulthood is associated with deterioration in mental health. Social support may act as a "buffer" against poor mental health following disability acquisition. We tested the hypothesis that women and men with low social support experienced larger declines in mental health on acquisition of a disability compared to women and men with high social support. We assessed whether social support, measured both prior and subsequent to disability acquisition, modified the association between disability acquisition and mental health using 14 annual waves of data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey. Participants reported at least two consecutive waves of disability preceded by at least two consecutive waves without disability (2200 participants, 15,724 observations). Fixed-effects linear regression models were used to estimate average differences in mental health between waves with and without disability, for women and men separately. We tested for effect measure modification of the association by social support, including a three-way interaction between disability and social support prior and subsequent to disability acquisition. Though the effects of disability acquisition on mental health were much larger for women, for both women and men there was a consistent pattern of association with social support. There was evidence that social support modified the association between disability acquisition and mental health, with the largest effects for those experiencing a change from high to low social support subsequent to disability and for people with consistently low social support. These findings highlight the importance of developing new policy and practice strategies to improve the mental health of people with disabilities, including interventions to promote social support at the time of disability acquisition.

Employment consequences of depressive symptoms and work demands individually and combined.

PubMed

Thielen, Karsten; Nygaard, Else; Andersen, Ingelise; Diderichsen, Finn

2014-02-01

Denmark, like other Western countries, is recently burdened by increasingly high social spending on employment consequences caused by ill mental health. This might be the result of high work demands affecting persons with ill mental health. Therefore, this study assesses to what extent depressive symptoms and high work demands, individually and combined, have an effect on employment consequences. We conducted a population-based 7-year longitudinal follow-up study with baseline information from the year 2000 on socio-demographics, lifestyle, depressive symptoms and work demands. In total, 5785 employed persons, aged 40 and 50 years, were included. Information about employment status, sick leave and work disability was obtained from registers. Logistic regression models were used to measure separate and combined effects of depressive symptoms and work demands on job change, unemployment and sick leave during 2001-02 and work disability during 2003-07. After adjustment for covariates, high physical work demands and depressive symptoms had a graded effect on subsequent unemployment, sick leave and permanent work disability. Persons with both depressive symptoms and high physical demands had the highest risks, especially for sick leave, but the combined effect did not exceed the product of single effects. Persons who perceived high amount of work changed job significantly more frequently. Persons with depressive symptoms might have an increased risk of negative employment consequences irrespective of the kind and amount of work demands. This might be an effect on the level of work ability in general as well as partly the result of health selection and co-morbidity.

Six-month follow-up of lithium-battery smoke alarms and self-reported reasons for disabling.

PubMed

Omaki, Elise; Shields, Wendy C; Frattaroli, Shannon; McDonald, Eileen; Jones, Vanya; Gielen, Andrea

2017-02-01

Although smoke alarms with lithium batteries are often marketed as '10-year alarms', on average, these alarms do not remain functional for 10 years. This paper describes self-reported reasons for non-working lithium-battery alarms 6-9 months following a smoke alarm installation programme. Data presented are for a cohort of 754 homes that participated in the installation programme and subsequently completed follow-up. A total of 1487 smoke alarms were installed. At follow-up, 126 alarms (8%) were missing and 37 (3%) were observed to be non-working. Of the non-working alarms, residents reported that they had been disabled 57% of the time. Reasons for disabling the alarms most often included that the battery was chirping (38%) or that it sounded while someone was cooking (24%). Smoke alarm installation programmes using lithium-battery alarms should consider highlighting education about smoke alarm maintenance, the hush feature and resources to replace alarms that malfunction soon after installation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND FUNCTIONAL TRANSITIONS OVER TIME IN OLDER PERSONS

PubMed Central

Barry, Lisa C.; Murphy, Terrence E.; Gill, Thomas M.

2010-01-01

Objective We determined the association between clinically significant depressive symptoms, often referred to as depression, and subsequent transitions between no disability, mild disability, severe disability, and death. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting General community in greater New Haven, Connecticut, from March 23, 1998, to December 31, 2008. Participants Seven-hundred fifty four persons, aged 70 years or older. Measurements Monthly assessments of disability in essential activities of daily living and assessments of depressive symptoms every 18 months using a short-form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Scale for up to 129 months. Results Depressed participants were more likely than those who were non-depressed to transition from a state of no disability to mild (HR= 1.52; 95% CI 1.25, 1.85) and severe disability (HR=1.57; 95% CI 1.22, 2.01), and from a state of mild disability to severe disability (HR=1.33; 95% CI 1.06, 1.65); and were less likely to transition from a state of mild disability to no disability (HR=0.69; 95% CI 0.57, 0.85) and from a state of severe disability to no disability (HR=0.50; 95% CI 0.31, 0.79). Conclusions Depressive symptoms are associated with transitions into and out of disabled states, and with increased likelihood of transitioning from mild to severe disability. More broadly, our findings underscore the complexity of the relationship between depressive symptoms and disability. Future work is needed to evaluate the likely reciprocal relationship between depression and functional transitions in older persons. PMID:21873834

Alcohol consumption and risk of unemployment, sickness absence and disability pension in Denmark: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Maja Baeksgaard; Thygesen, Lau Caspar; Becker, Ulrik; Tolstrup, Janne S

2017-10-01

We investigated the association between weekly alcohol consumption and binge drinking and the risk of unemployment, sickness absence and disability pension. Prospective register-based cohort study. Denmark. A sample of 17 690 men and women, aged 18-60 years from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey in 2000, 2005 and 2010 participated in the study. Participants worked the entire year prior to baseline. Administrative registers were used to obtain information on unemployment, sickness absence and disability pension during a 5-year follow-up period. Data were analysed by multivariate Cox regression model with random effect (frailty) adjusted for cohabitation status, educational level, Charlson comorbidity index, smoking habits, calendar year and geographic region. Among males, adjusted hazards ratios (HR) of unemployment were 1.24 (95% CI 1.05-1.46, P = 0.01), 1.28 (95% CI 1.04-1.59, P =0.02) and 1.48 (95% CI 1.21-1.81, P = 0.00) respectively, for abstainers and those with alcohol consumption of 21-27 and ≥ 28 drinks per week when compared with individuals who had 1-13 drinks per week. Corresponding HRs for sickness absence were 1.16 (95% CI 1.02-1.33, P = 0.03), 1.02 (95% CI 0.85-1.23, P = 0.84), and 1.23 (95 % CI 1.04-1.46, P = 0.02). Male abstainers had increased HR for subsequently receiving disability pension. Female abstainers had increased HR of unemployment, sickness absence and disability pension compared to women with moderate alcohol consumption. Binge drinking was associated with higher HR of unemployment compared to non-binge drinking in women: HR of 1.21 (95 % CI 1.03-1.41, P = 0.02). In Danish men aged 18-60, alcohol abstinence and heavy consumption is associated with increased subsequent risk of unemployment and sickness absence compared with low consumption. In Danish women abstainers have increased risk of unemployment, sickness absence and disability pension, while binge drinkers are more likely to become unemployed subsequently. © 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Prediction of failure to retain work 1 year after interdisciplinary functional restoration in occupational injuries.

PubMed

Brede, Emily; Mayer, Tom G; Gatchel, Robert J

2012-02-01

To identify risk factors for work retention (a patients' ability to both obtain and retain employment) at 1 year after treatment for a chronic disabling occupational musculoskeletal disorder (CDOMD). Prospective cohort study. Consecutive patients undergoing interdisciplinary functional restoration treatment in a regional rehabilitation referral center. A sample of 1850 consecutive CDOMD patients, who were admitted to and completed a functional restoration program, were subsequently classified as work retention or nonwork retention at a 1-year posttreatment evaluation. Not applicable. Measures, including medical evaluations, demographic and occupational data, psychosocial diagnostic evaluation, and validated measures of pain, disability, and depressive symptoms, were obtained at admission to, and discharge from, the program. Using a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the following variables were found to be significant predictors of failure to retain work: older age (odds ratio [OR]=1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-2.54), female sex (OR=1.46; 95% CI, 1.09-1.94), nonworking status at discharge (OR=1.65; 95% CI, 1.11-2.45), extreme disability at admission (OR=1.46; 95% CI, 1.06-2.00), antisocial personality disorder (OR=2.11; 95% CI, 1.09-4.08), receipt of government disability benefits at admission (OR=2.28; 95% CI, 1.06-4.89), and dependence on opiate pain medications (OR=1.43; 95% CI, 1.02-2.00). The final model improved prediction by 75% over assigning all patients to the larger (work retention) group. This study identified demographic, psychosocial, and occupational factors that were predictive of failure to retain work. These risk factors may be used to individualize treatment plans for CDOMD patients in order to provide optimal functional restoration. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Repeated Measures of Sleep Disturbances to Predict Future Diagnosis-Specific Work Disability: A Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Salo, Paula; Vahtera, Jussi; Hall, Martica; Rod, Naja Hulvej; Virtanen, Marianna; Pentti, Jaana; Sjösten, Noora; Oksanen, Tuula; Kivimäki, Mika

2012-01-01

Context: It is unknown whether or not measuring sleep disturbances repeatedly, rather than at only one point in time, improves prediction of work disability. Study Objective: o examine sleep disturbance patterns over time as a risk marker for diagnosis-specific work disability. Design: rospective cohort study linking repeatedly measured self-reported sleep disturbances with records of physician-certified work disability (sickness absence) from a national register. Participants responded to surveys in 2000–2002, and 2004, and were followed up for 12 mo. Setting: Public sector employees in Finland. Participants: 25,639 participants (mean age 45.6 yr, 82% female). Main Outcome Measure: Incident diagnosis-specific sickness absence of > 9 days. Results: During a mean follow-up of 323 days, 4,975 employees (19%) had a new episode of sickness absence. In multivariable-adjusted models corrected for multiple testing, stable severe sleep disturbances, in comparison with no sleep disturbances, were associated with an increased risk of sickness absence due to diseases of the musculoskeletal system (hazard ratio (HR) 1.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.45–1.95), and injuries and poisonings (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.23–2.18). Increases in sleep disturbances predicted subsequent sickness absence due to mental disorders (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.32–1.91), and diseases of the musculoskeletal system (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.27–1.64) According to net reclassification improvement analyses, measurement of sleep disturbance patterns rather than the level of sleep disturbances at one point in time improved prediction of all-cause sickness absence by 14%, and diagnosis-specific sickness absences up to 17% (P for improvement < 0.001). Conclusions: Increasing and severe chronic sleep disturbances mark an increased risk of diagnosis-specific work disability. Citation: Salo P; Vahtera J; Hall M; Rod NH; Virtanen M; Pentti J; Sjösten N; Oksanen T; Kivimäki M. Using repeated measures of sleep disturbances to predict future diagnosis-specific work disability: a cohort study. SLEEP 2012;35(4):559-569. PMID:22467994

EVALUATING DISABILITY OVER DISCRETE PERIODS OF TIME

PubMed Central

Gill, Thomas M.; Gahbauer, Evelyne A.

2009-01-01

Background To advance the field of disability assessment, additional developmental work is needed. The objective of this study was to determine the potential value of participant recall when evaluating disability over discrete periods of time. Methods We studied 491 residents of greater New Haven, Connecticut who were aged 76 years or older. Participants completed a comprehensive assessment that included several new questions on disability in four essential activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, transferring, and walking). Participants were also assessed for disability in the same activities during monthly telephone interviews before and after the comprehensive assessment. Chronic disability was defined as a new disability that was present for at least three consecutive months. Results We found that up to half of the incident disability episodes, which would otherwise have been missed, can be ascertained if participants are asked to recall whether they have had disability “at any time” since the prior assessment; that these disability episodes, which are ascertained by participant recall, confer high risk for the subsequent development of chronic disability, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.5 (95% confidence interval: 1.1, 5.8); and that participant recall for the absence of disability becomes increasingly inaccurate as the duration of the assessment interval increases, with 2.2%, 6.0%, 6.9% and 9.1% of participants having inaccurate recall at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Conclusions Our results demonstrate both the promise and limitations of participant recall and suggest that additional strategies are needed to more completely and accurately ascertain the occurrence of disability among older persons. PMID:18559633

"They want to come to school": Work-based education programs to prevent the social exclusion of vulnerable youth.

PubMed

Hutchinson, Nancy L; Versnel, Joan; Poth, Cheryl; Berg, Derek; deLugt, Jenn; Dalton, C J; Chin, Peter; Munby, Hugh

2011-01-01

This paper describes and compares exemplary work-based education (WBE) programs in Ontario Canada designed to meet the needs of two groups of vulnerable youth - at-risk youth and youth with severe disabilities. Two focus group interviews were held, one with professionals from exemplary programs designed to meet the needs of at-risk youth and one with professionals from exemplary programs for youth with severe disabilities. Standard qualitative analyses were conducted on each focus group transcript to generate themes which were subsequently grouped into larger patterns. Then cross-case analyses identified consistencies and unique features within the two types of WBE programs. Two major patterns that characterize the WBE programs emerged from the analyses: the first pattern described the programmatic approaches to WBE appropriate for each type of type of student (which included themes such as the need for an alternative learning environment for at-risk youth), and the second pattern highlighted the rationale for each kind of program (which included themes like ensuring equity for youth with severe disabilities). The findings suggest that schools should continue to provide distinct WBE programs for each of these groups of vulnerable youth - at-risk youth and youth with severe disabilities.

Complex network inference from P300 signals: Decoding brain state under visual stimulus for able-bodied and disabled subjects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Zhong-Ke; Cai, Qing; Dong, Na; Zhang, Shan-Shan; Bo, Yun; Zhang, Jie

2016-10-01

Distinguishing brain cognitive behavior underlying disabled and able-bodied subjects constitutes a challenging problem of significant importance. Complex network has established itself as a powerful tool for exploring functional brain networks, which sheds light on the inner workings of the human brain. Most existing works in constructing brain network focus on phase-synchronization measures between regional neural activities. In contrast, we propose a novel approach for inferring functional networks from P300 event-related potentials by integrating time and frequency domain information extracted from each channel signal, which we show to be efficient in subsequent pattern recognition. In particular, we construct brain network by regarding each channel signal as a node and determining the edges in terms of correlation of the extracted feature vectors. A six-choice P300 paradigm with six different images is used in testing our new approach, involving one able-bodied subject and three disabled subjects suffering from multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain and spinal-cord injury, respectively. We then exploit global efficiency, local efficiency and small-world indices from the derived brain networks to assess the network topological structure associated with different target images. The findings suggest that our method allows identifying brain cognitive behaviors related to visual stimulus between able-bodied and disabled subjects.

Rehabilitation service utilization models: changes in the opportunity structure for disabled women.

PubMed

Altman, B M; Smith, R T

1990-01-01

The focus of this paper is the opportunity structure for rehabilitation and subsequent outcome for disabled women, in comparison with disabled men. From evidence cited in the literature the differential provision of rehabilitation and other supportive services to disabled women suggests variation in outcome, based on two analytic service utilization models of rehabilitation: medical and psychosocial. Aggregate trend data (1972 and 1978) were used in the analysis of adult disabled groups, by gender and selected disabling conditions. There are two striking results from the analysis of these data sets. One indicates that receipt of rehabilitation is greatly influenced by sociodemographic factors, particularly gender and age. A detailed examination of the combination effects of gender and other sociodemographic variables shows that there are subtleties, such as an interaction between race and gender and education and gender, as well as between age and gender, that put uneducated, younger, white women at a disadvantage in their access to rehabilitation resources. The analysis of these sociodemographic factors over two points in time, however, demonstrates what can be considered a diffusion of the distinctions of social inequality, probably due to changes in rehabilitation legislation that redefined eligibility criteria for rehabilitation services and expanded programme goals. The second result of note is that neither form of rehabilitation is associated with a positive outcome, in this case ability to work. In the earlier data set (1972), indications were that neither the medical model of rehabilitation nor the psychosocial model were effective in returning the individual to the work role. This was true for both men and women.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Joint associations of smoking and physical activity with disability retirement: a register-linked cohort study.

PubMed

Lallukka, Tea; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahelma, Eero; Lahti, Jouni

2015-07-29

We examined the risk of disability retirement by smoking and physical activity, and particularly whether the risk due to smoking is affected by the level of physical activity. Additionally, the contribution of baseline health, sociodemographic and work-related factors to the joint associations of smoking and physical activity with disability retirement was considered. Cohort study. Helsinki, Finland. Employees of the City of Helsinki, aged 40-60 years at baseline in 2000-2002, were followed up using complete register data from the Finnish Centre of Pensions until the end of 2010 (n=6390, with a consent to register linkage from 74%). All-cause disability retirement (ICD-10). Altogether, 608 employees (9.5%) retired due to disability during the follow-up. Cox regression models were fitted to examine the joint associations of smoking and physical activity with subsequent disability retirement. Never-smokers, ex-smokers and moderate smokers who were inactive or moderately active had an increased risk of disability retirement, but if they were vigorously active, they had no excess risk. Instead, all heavy smokers (15 or more cigarettes per day among women, and 20 or more among men), irrespective of physical activity, had an increased risk of disability retirement. The examined associations attenuated but remained for ex-smokers and heavy smokers after adjustments for gender, age, socioeconomic position, mental and physical workload, problem drinking, body mass index and self-rated health. No gender interactions were found. Vigorous physical activity might help prevent disability retirement not only among never-smokers, but even among ex-smokers and moderate smokers. However, among heavy smokers, physical activity is not sufficient to eliminate the adverse effects of smoking on health and work ability. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Enhancing Research in Networking & System Security, and Forensics, in Puerto Rico

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-03

Researcher and her research revolves around using Cognitive Systems, which are machines that can think, listen and see in order to help the disabled ...Subsequence. The implementation is been conducted using R- Language because of its statistical and analysis abilities. Because it works using a command line...Technology. 14-AUG-13, . : , Eduardo Melendez. FROM RANDOM EMBEDDING TECHNIQUES TO ENTROPY USING IMAGEPOINT ADJACENT SHADE VALUES, 12th Annual

Recognising the Needs of Every Disabled Child: The Development of Tools for a Disability Census

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Jill; Daniels, Harry; Feiler, Anthony; Georgeson, Jan

2011-01-01

The Equality Act 2010 further enshrines the duties on organisations set out in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 to safeguard the rights of vulnerable children. However, disability is a complex phenomenon, which makes the collection of data, and the subsequent identification of children who might be classed as disabled, problematic. This…

Prediction of all-cause occupational disability among US Army soldiers.

PubMed

Nelson, D Alan; Wolcott, Vickee L; Kurina, Lianne M

2016-07-01

Long-term occupational disability rates associated with eventual discharges from military service have risen sharply among active-duty US Army soldiers during the last three decades, with important implications for soldier health and national security alike. To address this problem, we built predictive models for long-term, all-cause occupational disability and identified disability risk factors using a very large, multisource database on the total active-duty US Army. We conducted a cross-temporal retrospective cohort study and used mixed-effects logistic regression models to derive and validate disability risk assignments. The derivation cohort included 510 616 US Army soldiers on duty in December 2012, and the validation cohort included 483 197 soldiers on duty in December 2013. The predictive model yielded an overall c-statistic of 85.97% (95% CI 85.61% to 86.32%). Risk thresholds at the population's 75th and 95th centiles identified 80.53% and 42.08%, respectively, of the disability designations that occurred population wide during the subsequent 9 months. Frequent work excusals, high outpatient care utilisation and psychotropic medication use were the strongest independent predictors of later disability. These findings indicate that predictive models using diverse data types can successfully anticipate long-term occupational disability among US Army soldiers and could be used for disability risk screening. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Working while on a disability pension in Finland: Association of diagnosis and financial factors to employment.

PubMed

Polvinen, Anu; Laaksonen, Mikko; Rantala, Juha; Hietaniemi, Marjukka; Kannisto, Jari; Kuivalainen, Susan

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to find out whether health and financial factors are associated with engagement in paid work during a disability pension. The data included a 10 per cent sample of Finns aged 20-62 years who were drawing earnings-related full or partial disability pension in 2012 ( n = 14,418). Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios for working while on a full or partial disability pension. Fourteen per cent of full disability pensioners and 76 per cent of partial disability pensioners were engaged in paid work. Full disability pensioners due to mental disorders were working less often than full disability pensioners due to other diseases. Partial disability pensioners due to cardiovascular diseases were working more than partial disability pensioners due to other diseases. More recent timing of disability pension was associated with working for both partial and full disability pensioners. Working while on disability pension was more common among those with higher education. Partial disability pensioners with average pension worked more often than those with high pension. By knowing the factors associated with working while on a disability pension, policies could be more efficiently allocated to encourage disability pensioners to take up work. One way would be to support disability pensioners with low education to work more. Another way to increase work among disability pensioners is to support the recently retired in working longer.

Maternal Psychiatric Disorder and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder or Intellectual Disability in Subsequent Offspring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fairthorne, Jenny; Hammond, Geoff; Bourke, Jenny; de Klerk, Nick; Leonard, Helen

2016-01-01

Psychiatric disorders are more common in the mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or intellectual disability (ID) after the birth of their child. We aimed to assess the relationship between women's psychiatric contacts and subsequent offspring with ASD/ID. We linked three Western Australian registers to investigate pre-existing…

Becoming disabled: The association between disability onset in younger adults and subsequent changes in productive engagement, social support, financial hardship and subjective wellbeing.

PubMed

Emerson, Eric; Kariuki, Maina; Honey, Anne; Llewellyn, Gwynnyth

2014-10-01

Very few population-based studies have investigated the association between the onset of health conditions/impairments associated with disability and subsequent well-being. To examine the association between the onset of disability and four indicators of well-being (full-time engagement in employment or education, financial hardship, social support, subjective well-being) among a nationally representative sample of Australian adolescents and young adults. Secondary analysis of the first eight waves (2001-2008) of the survey of Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia. For financial hardship and subjective well-being, the majority of participants belonged to trajectory classes for which there was no evidence that the onset of disability was associated with a subsequent lowering of well-being. For participation in employment and education, the majority of participants belonged to trajectory classes for which there was evidence of a modest immediate reduction in participation rates followed by subsequent stability. For social support, the majority of participants belonged to trajectory classes for which there was evidence of a modest temporary reduction in support followed by rebound back to initial levels. Membership of classes associated with poorer outcomes was associated with a number of covariates including: male gender; younger age of disability onset; being born overseas; not living with both parents at age 14; lower proficiency in the English language; and parental education being year 12 or below. The results of our analyses illustrate the existence of clear empirically defined trajectory classes following the onset of disability across a range of indicators of well-being. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Communicating with disabled children when inpatients: barriers and facilitators identified by parents and professionals in a qualitative study.

PubMed

Sharkey, Siobhan; Lloyd, Claire; Tomlinson, Richard; Thomas, Eleanor; Martin, Alice; Logan, Stuart; Morris, Christopher

2016-06-01

Communication is a fundamental part of health care, but can be more difficult with disabled children. Disabled children are more frequently admitted to hospital than other children. To explore experiences of ward staff and families to identify barriers and facilitators to effective communication with disabled children whilst inpatients. This was an exploratory qualitative study. We consulted 25 staff working on paediatric wards and 15 parents of disabled children recently admitted to those wards. We had difficulty in recruiting children and evaluating their experiences. Data were collected through interviews and focus groups. A thematic analysis of the data supported by the Framework Approach was used to explore experiences and views about communication. Emerging themes were subsequently synthesised to identify barriers and facilitators to good communication. Barriers to communication included time, professionals not prioritising communication in their role and poor information sharing between parents and professionals. Facilitators included professionals building rapport with a child, good relationships between professionals and parents, professionals having a family-centred approach, and the use of communication aids. Communication with disabled children on the ward was perceived as less than optimal. Parents are instrumental in the communication between their children and professionals. Although aware of the importance of communication with disabled children, staff perceived time pressures and lack of priority given to communicating directly with the child as major barriers. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Early retirement among Danish female cleaners and shop assistants according to work environment characteristics and upper extremity complaints: an 11-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Jensen, Lone Donbæk; Bonde, Jens Peter Ellekilde; Christensen, Michael Victor; Maribo, Thomas

2016-05-04

Studies have shown a negative social gradient in the incidence of early retirement. To prevent undesired early retirement, there is a need for knowledge of specific predictors in addition to social factors with a limited potential for change. The main purpose of this study was to examine musculoskeletal complaints and working conditions as predictors of early retirement among Danish female cleaners. Using Cox regression with an adjustment for extraneous factors, we compared the risk of disability pension and retirement before the nominal retirement age (65 years) in an 11-year cohort study with registry-based follow-up of 1430 female cleaners and 579 shop assistants. In subsequent analyses of female cleaners, disability pension and voluntary early retirement were modeled according to work characteristics and upper extremity complaints. The adjusted hazard rate (HR) for disability pension among cleaners compared to the control group was 2.27 (95% CI 1.58 to 3.28) and, for voluntary early retirement, 1.01 (95% CI 0.85 to 1.20). In the subset of cleaners, the predictors of disability pension were persistent shoulder pain HR: 1.98 (95% CI 1.47 to 2.67), elbow pain HR: 1.41 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.94) and symptoms of nerve entrapment of the hand HR: 1.58 (95% CI 1.14 to 2.20). Predictors of voluntary early retirement were persistent shoulder pain HR: 1.40 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.67) and floor mopping for more than 10 h per week HR: 1.20 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.40). Cleaners have a twofold higher risk of disability pension compared to the control group. Risk factors for disability pension among cleaners were persistent shoulder and elbow pain together with symptoms of nerve entrapment of the hand. The findings of specific health related predictors of early retirement could be used in secondary prevention with targeted temporary reduced workload.

Longterm Work Productivity Costs Due to Absenteeism and Permanent Work Disability in Patients with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Nationwide Register Study of 7831 Patients.

PubMed

Martikainen, Janne A; Kautiainen, Hannu; Rantalaiho, Vappu; Puolakka, Kari T

2016-12-01

To estimate the development and potential disproportional distribution of longterm productivity costs (PC) and their determinants leading to work absenteeism and permanent work disability in working-aged patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A cohort of subjects with early RA was created by identifying the new cases of RA from the national drug reimbursement register that had been granted a special reimbursement for their antirheumatic medications for RA from 2000-2007. The dataset was enriched by cross-linking with other national registries detailing work absenteeism days and permanent disability pensions. In the base case, the human capital approach was applied to estimate PC based on subjects' annual number of absenteeism days and incomes. Hurdle regression analysis was applied to study the determinants of PC. Among the 7831 subjects with early RA, the mean (bootstrapped 95% CI) annual PC per person-observation year was €4800 (4547-5070). The annual PC declined after the first year of RA diagnosis, but increased significantly in subsequent years. In addition, the PC was heavily disproportionally concentrated in a small fraction of patients with RA, because only around 20% of patients accounted for the majority of total annual PC. The initiation of active drug treatment during the first 3 months after RA diagnosis significantly reduced the cumulative PC when compared with no drug treatment. The longterm PC increased significantly in parallel with years elapsing after RA diagnosis. Further, the majority of these PC are incurred by a small proportion of patients.

Employee control over working times and risk of cause-specific disability pension: the Finnish Public Sector Study

PubMed Central

Vahtera, Jussi; Laine, Sari; Virtanen, Marianna; Oksanen, Tuula; Koskinen, Aki; Pentti, Jaana; Kivimaki, Mika

2011-01-01

Objective To examine the association between worktime control and subsequent retirement on health ground (disability pension) among employees. Methods A prospective cohort study of 30 700 public sector employees (78% women) aged 18 to 64 at baseline. Two scores of worktime control, self-assessed and co-worker assessed, were obtained from responses to the baseline survey in 2000-2001 (score range 1 to 5). Information on cause-specific disability pension during follow-up was collected from national registers. Results During a mean follow-up of 4.4 years, 1178 employees were granted disability pension (incidence per 1000 person-years 9.2 in women and 8.7 in men). The most common causes of a disability pension were musculoskeletal disorders (43% of all pensions), mental disorders (25%), tumours (8%), and diseases of the circulatory system (6%) and the nervous system (6%). A 1 unit increase in self-assessed and co-worker assessed worktime control score was associated with a 41-48% lowering of the risk of disabling musculoskeletal disorders in men and 33-35% lowering in women. This association was robust to adjustment for all 17 baseline covariates (in men and women combined, adjusted hazard ratio 0.76, 95% CI 0.67-0.87 and 0.64, 95% CI 0.51-0.79 per 1 unit increase in self-assessed and co-worker assessed worktime control, respectively).Self-assessed worktime control was also associated with the risk of disability retirement due to mental disorders in women, but this association was not replicated using co-workers’ assessment. Disability pensions from other disease categories were not related to control over working times. Conclusions In this cohort of public sector employees, high worktime control among employees was associated with reduced risk of early retirement caused by musculoskeletal disorders independent of baseline characteristics. PMID:19914911

Can high psychological job demands, low decision latitude, and high job strain predict disability pensions? A 12-year follow-up of middle-aged Swedish workers.

PubMed

Canivet, Catarina; Choi, BongKyoo; Karasek, Robert; Moghaddassi, Mahnaz; Staland-Nyman, Carin; Östergren, Per-Olof

2013-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether job strain, psychological demands, and decision latitude are independent determinants of disability pension rates over a 12-year follow-up period. We studied 3,181 men and 3,359 women, all middle-aged and working at least 30 h per week, recruited from the general population of Malmö, Sweden, in 1992. The participation rate was 41 %. Baseline data include sociodemographics, the Job Content Questionnaire, lifestyle, and health-related variables. Disability pension information was obtained through record linkage from the National Health Insurance Register. Nearly 20 % of the women and 15 % of the men were granted a disability pension during the follow-up period. The highest quartile of psychological job demands and the lowest quartile of decision latitude were associated with disability pensions when controlling for age, socioeconomic position, and health risk behaviours. In the final model, with adjustment also for health indicators and stress from outside the workplace, the hazard ratios for high strain jobs (i.e. high psychological demands in combination with low decision latitude) were 1.5 in men (95 % CI, 1.04-2.0) and 1.7 in women (95 % CI, 1.3-2.2). Stratifying for health at baseline showed that high strain tended to affect healthy but not unhealthy men, while this pattern was reversed in women. High psychological demands, low decision latitude, and job strain were all confirmed as independent risk factors for subsequent disability pensions. In order to increase chances of individuals remaining in the work force, interventions against these adverse psychosocial factors appear worthwhile.

Effectiveness of return-to-work interventions for disabled people: a systematic review of government initiatives focused on changing the behaviour of employers.

PubMed

Clayton, Stephen; Barr, Ben; Nylen, Lotta; Burström, Bo; Thielen, Karsten; Diderichsen, Finn; Dahl, Espen; Whitehead, Margaret

2012-06-01

OECD countries over the past two decades have implemented a range of labour market integration initiatives to improve the employment chances of disabled and chronically ill individuals. This article presents a systematic review and evidence synthesis on effectiveness of government interventions to influence employers' employment practices concerning disabled and chronically ill individuals in five OECD countries. A separate paper reports on interventions to influence the behaviour of employees. Electronic and grey literature searches to identify all empirical studies reporting employment effects and/or process evaluations of government policies aimed at changing the behaviour of employers conducted between 1990 and 2008 from Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the UK. Few studies provided robust evaluations of the programmes or their differential effects and selection of participants into programmes may distort the findings of even controlled studies. A population-level effect of legislation to combat discrimination by employers could not be detected. Workplace adjustments had positive impacts on employment, but low uptake. Financial incentives such as wage subsidies can work if they are sufficiently generous. Involving employers in return-to-work planning can reduce subsequent sick leave and be appreciated by employees, but this policy has not been taken up with the level of intensity that is likely to make a difference. Some interventions favour the more advantaged disabled people and those closer to the labour market. Future evaluations need to pay more attention to differential impact of interventions, degree of take-up, non-stigmatizing implementation and wider policy context in each country.

Prevalence of- and risk factors for work disability in Dutch patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Spekhorst, Lieke M; Oldenburg, Bas; van Bodegraven, Ad A; de Jong, Dirk J; Imhann, Floris; van der Meulen-de Jong, Andrea E; Pierik, Marieke J; van der Woude, Janneke C; Dijkstra, Gerard; D'Haens, Geert; Löwenberg, Mark; Weersma, Rinse K; Festen, Eleonora A M

2017-12-14

To determine the prevalence of work disability in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and to assess risk factors associated with work disability. For this retrospective cohort study, we retrieved clinical data from the Dutch IBD Biobank on July 2014, containing electronic patient records of 3388 IBD patients treated in the eight University Medical Centers in the Netherlands. Prevalence of work disability was assessed in 2794 IBD patients and compared with the general Dutch population. Multivariate analyses were performed for work disability (sick leave, partial and full disability) and long-term full work disability (> 80% work disability for > 2 years). Prevalence of work disability was higher in Crohn's disease (CD) (29%) and ulcerative colitis (UC) (19%) patients compared to the general Dutch population (7%). In all IBD patients, female sex, a lower education level, and extra-intestinal manifestations, were associated with work disability. In CD patients, an age > 40 years at diagnosis, disease duration > 15 years, smoking, surgical interventions, and anti-TNFα use were associated with work disability. In UC patients, an age > 55 years, and immunomodulator use were associated with work disability. In CD patients, a lower education level (OR = 1.62, 95%CI: 1.02-2.58), and in UC patients, disease complications (OR = 3.39, 95%CI: 1.09-10.58) were associated with long-term full work disability. The prevalence of work disability in IBD patients is higher than in the general Dutch population. Early assessment of risk factors for work disability is necessary, as work disability is substantial among IBD patients.

Work disability in the United States, 1968-2015: Prevalence, duration, recovery, and trends.

PubMed

Laditka, James N; Laditka, Sarah B

2018-04-01

The United States workforce is aging. At the same time more people have chronic conditions, for longer periods. Given these trends the importance of work disability, physical or nervous problems that limit a person's type or amount of work, is increasing. No research has examined transitions among multiple levels of work disability, recovery from work disability, or trends. Limited research has focused on work disability among African Americans and Hispanics, or separately for women and men. We examined these areas using data from 30,563 adults in the 1968-2015 Panel Study of Income Dynamics. We estimated annual probabilities of work disability, recovery, and death with multinomial logistic Markov models. Microsimulations accounting for age and education estimated outcomes for African American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white women and men. Results from these nationally representative data suggested that the majority of Americans experience work disability during working life. Most spells ended with recovery or reduced severity. Among women, African Americans and Hispanics had less moderate and severe work disability than whites. Among men, African Americans became severely work disabled more often than whites, recovered from severe spells more often and had shorter severe spells, yet had more severe work disability at age 65. Hispanic men were more likely to report at least one spell of severe work disability than whites; they also had substantially more recovery from severe work disability, and a lower percentage of working years with work disability. Among African Americans and Hispanics, men were considerably more likely than women to have severe work disability at age 65. Work disability declined significantly across the study period for all groups. Although work disability has declined over several decades, it remains common. Results suggest that the majority of work disability spells end with recovery, underscoring the importance of rehabilitation and workplace accommodation.

A conceptual framework to assess effectiveness in wheelchair provision.

PubMed

Kamaraj, Deepan C; Bray, Nathan; Rispin, Karen; Kankipati, Padmaja; Pearlman, Jonathan; Borg, Johan

2017-01-01

Currently, inadequate wheelchair provision has forced many people with disabilities to be trapped in a cycle of poverty and deprivation, limiting their ability to access education, work and social facilities. This issue is in part because of the lack of collaboration among various stakeholders who need to work together to design, manufacture and deliver such assistive mobility devices. This in turn has led to inadequate evidence about intervention effectiveness, disability prevalence and subsequent costeffectiveness that would help facilitate appropriate provision and support for people with disabilities. In this paper, we describe a novel conceptual framework that can be tested across the globe to study and evaluate the effectiveness of wheelchair provision. The Comparative Effectiveness Research Subcommittee (CER-SC), consisting of the authors of this article, housed within the Evidence-Based Practice Working Group (EBP-WG) of the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP), conducted a scoping review of scientific literature and standard practices used during wheelchair service provision. The literature review was followed by a series of discussion groups. The three iterations of the conceptual framework are described in this manuscript. We believe that adoption of this conceptual framework could have broad applications in wheelchair provision globally to develop evidence-based practices. Such a perspective will help in the comparison of different strategies employed in wheelchair provision and further improve clinical guidelines. Further work is being conducted to test the efficacy of this conceptual framework to evaluate effectiveness of wheelchair service provision in various settings across the globe.

Remembering Memories about Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Maury; Gresham, Pamela; Fouts, Bonnia

2011-01-01

Preservice general education classroom teachers in an inclusion course were asked to describe their own earliest memories of students with disabilities in school. Substantial literature links early memories to subsequent thoughts and attitudes. Subjects also completed the Opinions Relative to Integration of Students with Disabilities attitude…

Differential Impact of Involuntary Job Loss on Physical Disability Among Older Workers Does Predisposition Matter?

PubMed Central

Gallo, William T.; Brand, Jennie E.; Teng, Hsun-Mei; Leo-Summers, Linda; Byers, Amy L.

2009-01-01

Older workers' share of involuntary job losses in the United States has grown fairly consistently in recent decades, prompting greater interest in the health consequences of involuntary unemployment among individuals nearing retirement. In this study, the authors applied the multifactorial model of geriatric health to investigate whether late-career involuntary job loss was associated with subsequent physical disability and whether the effect of involuntary job loss on physical disability varied by predisposition. Using data from the first four waves (1992 to 1998) of the Health and Retirement Survey, the authors measured predisposition with individual risk factors for functional disability and indices of aggregate risk. The results of gender-specific models fit with generalized estimating equations revealed that unmarried women and those with low predisplacement incomes had heightened risk for subsequent functional disability. No differential effects of job loss were found for men. PMID:19924265

Rehabilitation Broadcasts to Rural Villages. [Draft].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, M.

The scripts are intended for broadcasting in translation to villages in Pakistan to raise awareness about disabilities and to provide practical advice to parents of disabled children. The initial broadcast emphasizes the essential humanity of all disabled persons, while subsequent broadcasts address issues in raising children with mental…

A Therapeutic Approach for Treating Chronic Illness and Disability among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haemmelmann, Katie L.; McClain, Mary-Catherine

2013-01-01

Research in chronic illness and disability (CID) in college students has demonstrated that students with disabilities encounter more difficulties psychosocially than their nondisabled counterparts. Subsequently, these difficulties impact the ability of these students to successfully adapt. Using the illness intrusiveness model in combination with…

[Long-term outcome following multiple trauma in working age : A prospective study in a Swiss trauma center].

PubMed

Gross, T; Amsler, F

2016-11-01

Given the lack of data in the available literature, we were interested in the disability rate and corresponding insurance costs following multiple trauma in Switzerland. The possible impact of demographic, traumatic and hospital process factors as well as subjective and objective longer-term outcome variables on insurance data acquired were examined. Following multiple trauma the clinical and socioeconomic parameters in 145 survivors of working age were investigated over 2 and 4 years post-injury at a Swiss trauma center (University Hospital Basel). The correlation with the corresponding data provided by the largest Swiss accident insurance company (Suva, n = 63) was tested by univariate and multivariate analysis and patients insured at Suva were compared with those insured elsewhere (n = 82). The mean level of disability in this cohort of multiple trauma patients insured at Suva was 43 %. The insurer expected costs of more than 1 million Swiss Francs per multiply injured patient. In univariate analysis, only discrete correlations (maximum r = 0.37) were found with resulting disability, but significant correlations were found in subsequent multivariate testing most of all for age and the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA 11 % and 15 % predictive capacity, p = 0.001; corrected R 2  = 0.26). Among variables of longer-term outcome the Euro Quality of Life Group health-related quality of life in five dimensions (EQ-5D) correlated almost as highly with the objective extent of disability as did the reduced capacity to work declared by the patients (0.64 and 0.7, respectively). The estimation of long-term disability following multiple trauma based on primary data following injury appears to be possible only to a limited extent. Given the clinical and socioeconomic relevance, comparable analyses are necessary by including all insurance providers involved.

The impact of the World Trade Center attack on FDNY firefighter retirement, disabilities, and pension benefits.

PubMed

Niles, J K; Webber, M P; Gustave, J; Zeig-Owens, R; Lee, R; Glass, L; Weiden, M D; Kelly, K J; Prezant, D J

2011-09-01

Our goal was to examine the effect of the World Trade Center (WTC) attack and subsequent New York City Fire Department (FDNY) rescue/recovery activities on firefighter retirements. We also analyzed the financial impact associated with the increased number and proportion of service-connected "accidental" disability retirements on the FDNY pension system. A total of 7,763 firefighters retired between 9/11/1994 and 9/10/2008. We compared the total number of retirements and the number and proportion of accidental disability retirements 7 years before and 7 years after the WTC attack. We categorized WTC-related accidental disability retirements by medical cause and worked with the New York City Office of the Actuary to approximate the financial impact by cause. In the 7 years before 9/11 there were 3,261 retirements, 48% (1,571) of which were accidental disability retirements. In the 7 years after 9/11, there were 4,502 retirements, 66% (2,970) were accidental disability retirements, of which 47% (1,402) were associated with WTC-related injuries or illnesses. After 9/11, the increase in accidental disability retirements was, for the most part, due to respiratory-related illnesses. Additional increases were attributed to psychological-related illnesses and musculoskeletal injuries incurred at the WTC site. Pension benefits associated with WTC-related accidental disability retirements have produced an increased financial burden of over $826 million on the FDNY pension system. The WTC attacks affected the health of the FDNY workforce resulting in more post-9/11 retirements than expected, and a larger proportion of these retirees with accidental disability pensions. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Issues of Policy and Law in Transition Services: Implications for Special Education Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petcu, Stefania D.; Yell, Mitchell L.; Cholewicki, Judith M.; Plotner, Anthony J.

2014-01-01

The successful transition into adulthood of students with disabilities should be a priority for parents, students, educators, and leaders in special education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) amendments of 1990 first mandated transition services for individuals with disabilities. Subsequent amendments to the IDEA in 1997 and…

Evaluating the External Validity of High-Incidence Special Education Disability Categories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murr, Natalie Simona

2015-01-01

The passing of the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA) of 1970, as well as subsequent education policy, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004), have been pivotal to ensuring that both the civil and educational rights of students with disabilities continue to be promoted and protected within educational settings. In…

Pictorial Essay: Exploring Strategies to Develop More Inclusive Approaches to Actor-Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aita, Sean

2012-01-01

In 1975 a new definition of disability, challenging the conventional medical model, was proposed by the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) and the Disability Alliance. Subsequently extended to cover all impairments, this definition considers disability to be the "disadvantage or restriction caused by a contemporary…

20 CFR 404.251 - Subsequent entitlement to benefits less than 12 months after entitlement to disability benefits...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Computing...) Disability before 1979; second entitlement after 1978. In this situation, we compute your second-entitlement... primary insurance amount computed for you as of the time of your second entitlement under any method for...

Educational Outcomes of Students First Diagnosed with Learning Disabilities in Postsecondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canto, Angela I.; Proctor, Briley E.; Prevatt, Frances

2005-01-01

The researchers examined the educational outcomes of three groups of college students who received an evaluation due to academic difficulties: those diagnosed with a learning disability (LD) who subsequently registered for services through the university student disability resource center; those diagnosed with an LD who did not register for…

Workplace characteristics and work disability onset for men and women.

PubMed

Crimmins, Eileen M; Hayward, Mark D

2004-01-01

This paper investigates the association between job characteristics and work disability among men and women in older working ages in the United States. We examine whether the association persists when controlling for major chronic disease experience. We also address whether job characteristics are ultimately associated with the receipt of disability benefits. Data are from the Health and Retirement Survey and are nationally representative of noninstitutionalized persons 51-61 in 1992. Disability onset is estimated using a hazard modeling approach for those working at wave 1 (N = 5,999). A logistic regression analysis of disability benefits is based on a risk set of 525 persons who become work-disabled before the second interview. Women's disability onset and health problems appear less related to job characteristics than men's. For men, work disability is associated with stressful jobs, lack of job control, and environmentally hazardous conditions but is not associated with physical demands. Participation in disability benefit programs among those with work disability is unrelated to most job characteristics or health conditions. Understanding of the differing process to work disability for men and women and the relationship between work and health by gender is important for current policy development.

A conceptual framework to assess effectiveness in wheelchair provision

PubMed Central

Kankipati, Padmaja

2017-01-01

Background Currently, inadequate wheelchair provision has forced many people with disabilities to be trapped in a cycle of poverty and deprivation, limiting their ability to access education, work and social facilities. This issue is in part because of the lack of collaboration among various stakeholders who need to work together to design, manufacture and deliver such assistive mobility devices. This in turn has led to inadequate evidence about intervention effectiveness, disability prevalence and subsequent costeffectiveness that would help facilitate appropriate provision and support for people with disabilities. Objectives In this paper, we describe a novel conceptual framework that can be tested across the globe to study and evaluate the effectiveness of wheelchair provision. Method The Comparative Effectiveness Research Subcommittee (CER-SC), consisting of the authors of this article, housed within the Evidence-Based Practice Working Group (EBP-WG) of the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP), conducted a scoping review of scientific literature and standard practices used during wheelchair service provision. The literature review was followed by a series of discussion groups. Results The three iterations of the conceptual framework are described in this manuscript. Conclusion We believe that adoption of this conceptual framework could have broad applications in wheelchair provision globally to develop evidence-based practices. Such a perspective will help in the comparison of different strategies employed in wheelchair provision and further improve clinical guidelines. Further work is being conducted to test the efficacy of this conceptual framework to evaluate effectiveness of wheelchair service provision in various settings across the globe. PMID:28936421

Pre-surgery Disability Compensation Predicts Long-Term Disability among Workers with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

PubMed Central

Spector, June T.; Turner, Judith A.; Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah; Franklin, Gary

2012-01-01

Background We sought to identify early risk factors for work disability compensation prior to and after carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) surgery, and to determine whether pre-surgery disability compensation is associated with long-term disability. Methods Washington State workers’ compensation administrative data and data from interviews with workers 18 days (median) after submitting new workers’ compensation claims for CTS were examined. Baseline risk factors for pre-surgery disability compensation and for long-term disability (≥365 days of work disability compensation prior to two years after claim filing) were evaluated for workers who underwent CTS surgery and had at least one day of disability compensation (N=670). Results After adjustment for baseline long-term disability risk factors, workers with pre-surgery disability compensation had over five times the odds of long-term disability. Baseline factors in multiple domains, including job, psychosocial, clinical, and worker pain and function, were associated with both pre-surgery disability compensation and long-term disability. Conclusions Risk factors for work disability prior to and after CTS surgery are similar, and early work disability is a risk factor for long-term CTS-related disability. An integrated approach to CTS-related disability prevention could include identifying and addressing combined risk factors soon after claim filing, more efficient use of conservative treatments and appropriate work modifications to minimize early work loss, and, when indicated, timely surgical intervention. PMID:22392804

20 CFR 216.32 - Who is eligible for a disability annuity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... disability prevents work in his or her regular railroad occupation. An employee who cannot be considered for a disability based on ability to work in his or her regular railroad occupation may receive an annuity if his or her disability prevents work in any regular employment. (a) Disability for work in...

20 CFR 216.32 - Who is eligible for a disability annuity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... disability prevents work in his or her regular railroad occupation. An employee who cannot be considered for a disability based on ability to work in his or her regular railroad occupation may receive an annuity if his or her disability prevents work in any regular employment. (a) Disability for work in...

20 CFR 216.32 - Who is eligible for a disability annuity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... disability prevents work in his or her regular railroad occupation. An employee who cannot be considered for a disability based on ability to work in his or her regular railroad occupation may receive an annuity if his or her disability prevents work in any regular employment. (a) Disability for work in...

20 CFR 216.32 - Who is eligible for a disability annuity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... disability prevents work in his or her regular railroad occupation. An employee who cannot be considered for a disability based on ability to work in his or her regular railroad occupation may receive an annuity if his or her disability prevents work in any regular employment. (a) Disability for work in...

Predictors of Depression and Musculoskeletal Disorder Related Work Disability Among Young, Middle-Aged, and Aging Employees.

PubMed

Ervasti, Jenni; Mattila-Holappa, Pauliina; Joensuu, Matti; Pentti, Jaana; Lallukka, Tea; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi; Virtanen, Marianna

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the level and predictors of work disability in different age groups. We followed young (18 to 34 years), middle-aged (35 to 50 years), and aging (>50 years) employees (n = 70,417) for 7 years (2005 to 2011) for all-cause and cause-specific work disability (sickness absence and disability pension). Using negative binomial regression, we obtained both relative risk estimates and absolute rates, that is, days of work disability per person-year. The greatest relative difference in all-cause, and specifically depression-related work disability, was between young women and young men, and between employees with low versus high levels of education. Aging employees with a low education and chronic somatic disease had the highest levels of musculoskeletal disorder related work disability. The predictors of work disability vary by age and diagnosis. These results help target age-specific measures for the prevention of permanent work disability.

Social support and subsequent disability: it is not the size of your network that counts.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Deirdre; Leung, Janni; Pachana, Nancy; Flicker, Leon; Hankey, Graeme; Dobson, Annette

2012-09-01

high levels of social support and engagement may help sustain good health and functional ability. However, the definition of social support in previous research has been inconsistent and findings are mixed. The aim of this analysis was to explore the effect of two aspects of social support on subsequent disability in a group of community dwelling older women and men. data were drawn from two concurrent prospective observational cohort studies of community-based older Australian women (N = 2,013) and men (N = 680). Baseline and follow-up data were drawn from the second (1999) and fifth (2008) surveys of the women and the second (2001) and third (2008) surveys of the men. At baseline, social support was measured by the two subscales (social network and subjective support) of the Duke Social Support Index (DSSI). The outcome measure was Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). overall, social network size was not associated with subsequent disability in either women or men. After adjusting for health status at baseline, lack of satisfaction with social support was associated with greater difficulties in ADLs and IADLs for both women and men. our results suggest that the provision of social support is insufficient to limit subsequent disability: support provided must be subjectively perceived to be relevant and adequate.

Access to nursing education by disabled students: rights and duties of nursing programs.

PubMed

Konur, Ozcan

2002-07-01

This paper outlines the rights and duties of nursing programs regarding access to nursing education for disabled students and the subsequent provision of services for them in the UK. Discussed briefly are the implications of these duties for nursing programs when disabled students are treated less favourably than their peers such as through a failure to make reasonable adjustments within the curriculum. Part IV of the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), as amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001), identifies such statutory duties and rights for nursing programs. For the purpose of this article, access to nursing education by disabled students and the subsequent service provision for these students in nursing programs is described as a game, using a conceptual framework by North. Different roles identified within the formal and informal legal rules, such as attitudes toward disabled students in nursing programs throughout the UK, are discussed briefly using this framework. It is noted that the rules of the game very much mirror the rules under Part II and Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) relating to disabled employees and disabled service users of public services, in force since December 1996. It is argued that lecturers and senior management teams in both nursing education and the health services occupy historical roles in the efficient design and playing of this game. The next step is to gradually align informal rules with formal rules, which can only be done through proper and correct education of key players.

Love in a Cold Climate: Changes in the Fortunes of LGBT Men and Women with Learning Disabilities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbott, David

2015-01-01

"Secret Loves, Hidden Lives?" was a piece of research which explored the lives and loves of gay, lesbian and bisexual people with learning disabilities. The research arguably influenced the development of policy in that same sex relationships were subsequently mentioned in English government policy on learning disability. The research…

Work status and disability trajectories over 12 months after injury among workers in New Zealand.

PubMed

Langley, John; Lilley, Rebbecca; Samaranayaka, Ari; Derrett, Sarah

2014-03-07

To describe work and disability trajectories over 12 months following injury among workers. Workers injured at work or elsewhere (n=2626) were sourced from the Prospective Outcomes of Injury Study, a longitudinal cohort study in New Zealand, with the primary objective of identifying factors associated with disability following injury. Work and disability status was assessed at 3- and 12-months post injury. The measure of disability was the brief WHODAS II 12-item instrument. Participants were dichotomised into 'disability' or 'no disability' groups based on whether their WHODAS score was greater than, or equal to, 10. In terms of 12-month work status, there are 16 different scenarios. These were grouped into 4 categories: sustained work (SW), delayed return to work (RTW), non-sustained RTW, and sustained off-work. We had complete information for 1975 workers. The largest group (68%) was SW, 32% of which had disability at either time point. The second largest group consisted of 17% of workers who were classified as delayed RTW, 76% of whom were disabled at either time point. Among the non-sustained RTW group (7%), 52% had disability at either time point. Of the sustained off-work group (8%), 80% were disabled at either 3- or 12-months. Although return to work is a useful provider performance indicator of injury compensation and rehabilitation it is inadequate from a wider societal perspective and needs to be complemented by other important outcome measures such as disability status.

The impact of ergonomic work environment exposures on the risk of disability pension: Prospective results from DWECS/DREAM.

PubMed

Labriola, Merete; Feveile, Helene; Christensen, Karl B; Strøyer, Jesper; Lund, Thomas

2009-11-01

The objectives were to identify the impact of ergonomic work environment exposures on the risk of disability pension. A representative sample of 8475 employees of the total working population in Denmark were interviewed regarding work environment exposures and followed in a national register with data on granted disability pension. For women, approximately 34% of the disability pension cases were attributable to ergonomic work environment exposures. For men, 21% of the disability pension cases were attributable to ergonomic work environment. Ergonomic work environment, especially physically demanding work, working with hands lifted and repetitive work, are areas of intervention at the workplace that can facilitate and prolong labour market participation. The study provides estimates for the association between ergonomic exposures at work and administrative, cost-related measures of work disability in a large population-based longitudinal cohort study over 14 years. Approximately 21% for men and 34% for women of the disability pension cases were attributable to ergonomic work environment exposures.

Treating verbal working memory in a boy with intellectual disability

PubMed Central

Orsolini, Margherita; Melogno, Sergio; Latini, Nausica; Penge, Roberta; Conforti, Sara

2015-01-01

The present case study investigates the effects of a cognitive training of verbal working memory that was proposed for Davide, a 14-year-old boy diagnosed with mild intellectual disability. The program stimulated attention, inhibition, switching, and the ability to engage either in verbal dual tasks or in producing inferences after the content of a short passage had been encoded in episodic memory. Key elements in our program included (1) core training of target cognitive mechanisms; (2) guided practice emphasizing concrete strategies to engage in exercises; and (3) a variable amount of adult support. The study explored whether such a complex program produced “near transfer” effects on an untrained dual task assessing verbal working memory and whether effects on this and other target cognitive mechanisms (i.e., attention, inhibition, and switching) were long-lasting and produced “far transfer” effects on cognitive flexibility. The effects of the intervention program were investigated with a research design consisting of four subsequent phases lasting 8 or 10 weeks, each preceded and followed by testing. There was a control condition (phase 1) in which the boy received, at home, a stimulation focused on the visuospatial domain. Subsequently, there were three experimental training phases, in which stimulation in the verbal domain was first focused on attention and inhibition (phase 2a), then on switching and simple working memory tasks (phase 2b), then on complex working memory tasks (phase 3). A battery of neuropsychological tests was administered before and after each training phase and 7 months after the conclusion of the intervention. The main finding was that Davide changed from being incapable of addressing the dual task request of the listening span test in the initial assessment to performing close to the normal limits of a 13-year-old boy in the follow-up assessment with this test, when he was 15 years old. PMID:26284014

Defining Disability for Women and the Problem of Unpaid Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reisine, Susan T.; Fifield, Judith

1988-01-01

Discusses political, theoretical, and methodological issues in defining and measuring paid and unpaid work disability. Presents results of study analyzing disability in paid work and unpaid family work among 206 women with rheumatoid arthritis, demonstrating feasibility of measuring disability in family work and showing that women experience…

Work disability negotiations: supervisors' view of work disability and collaboration with occupational health services.

PubMed

Lappalainen, Liisa; Liira, Juha; Lamminpää, Anne; Rokkanen, Tanja

2018-03-28

To introduce the Finnish practice of collaboration aiming to enhance work participation, to ask supervisors about its reasons and usefulness, to study supervisors' needs when they face work disability, and to compare the experiences of supervisors whose profiles differ. An online questionnaire based on the Finnish practice of collaboration between supervisor and occupational health services (OHS) went to supervisors in six public and private organizations. A total of 254 supervisors responded, of whom, 133 (52%) had collaborated in work disability negotiations, representing a wide variety with differing professional profiles. In their role of managing work disability, supervisors appeared to benefit from three factors: an explicit company disability management (DM) policy, supervisors' training in DM, and collaboration with OHS. Reasons for work disability negotiations were long or repeated sick-leaves and reduced work performance. Expectations for occupational health consultations focused on finding vocational solutions and on obtaining information. Supervisors assessed the outcomes of collaboration as both vocational and medical. Supervisors with differing professional profiles prioritized slightly different aspects in collaboration. Collaboration with OHS is an important option for supervisors to enhance work modifications and the work participation of employees with work disability. Implications for Rehabilitation Work disability negotiation between supervisor, employee, and occupational health services (OHS) is an effective method to enhance work participation. Collaboration with occupational health can advance work modifications and also lead to medical procedures to improve work performance. Supervisor training, companies' explicit disability management policy, and collaboration with OHSs all advance employee's work participation. Collaboration with OHSs may serve as training for supervisors in their responsibility to support work participation.

Determinants of work ability and its predictive value for disability.

PubMed

Alavinia, S M; de Boer, A G E M; van Duivenbooden, J C; Frings-Dresen, M H W; Burdorf, A

2009-01-01

Maintaining the ability of workers to cope with physical and psychosocial demands at work becomes increasingly important in prolonging working life. To analyse the effects of work-related factors and individual characteristics on work ability and to determine the predictive value of work ability on receiving a work-related disability pension. A longitudinal study was conducted among 850 construction workers aged 40 years and older, with average follow-up period of 23 months. Disability was defined as receiving a disability pension, granted to workers unable to continue working in their regular job. Work ability was assessed using the work ability index (WAI). Associations between work-related factors and individual characteristics with work ability at baseline were evaluated using linear regression analysis, and Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictive value of work ability for disability. Work-related factors were associated with a lower work ability at baseline, but had little prognostic value for disability during follow-up. The hazard ratios for disability among workers with a moderate and poor work ability at baseline were 8 and 32, respectively. All separate scales in the WAI had predictive power for future disability with the highest influence of current work ability in relation to job demands and lowest influence of diseases diagnosed by a physician. A moderate or poor work ability was highly predictive for receiving a disability pension. Preventive measures should facilitate a good balance between work performance and health in order to prevent quitting labour participation.

The risk of developing a work disability across the adulthood years.

PubMed

Rank, Mark R; Hirschl, Thomas A

2014-04-01

Work disability has implications for individual health, national health care expenditures, economic productivity, and the social safety net. Knowledge about population dynamics and risk factors associated with work disability are not delineated by cross-sectional research. In this paper the authors estimate, for the first time, the prospective lifetime risk that a head of household will report a work disability. Using forty years of longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), we estimate the lifetime risk of developing a work disability and conduct a logistic regression analysis to examine personal characteristics that increase the likelihood of a self-reported work disability. Life table methods are used to calculate lifetime prevalence, and to compute covariate effects. Between the ages of 25 and 60, over half (54.6%) of U.S. household heads will self-report a work disability, and approximately one quarter (24.1%) will self-report a severe work disability. Persons with income below 150% of the federal poverty level, or lower educational attainment, have an increased likelihood of reporting a work disability. This study finds that more than half of U.S. household heads will self-report a work disability, which is a higher prevalence than in existing cross-sectional estimates. The social context for this finding is that work disability is a major driver of spending on health care services and the social safety net. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of Work Disability and Pain

PubMed Central

Kapteyn, Arie; Smith, James P.; van Soest, Arthur

2013-01-01

This paper investigates the role of pain in affecting self-reported work disability and employment of elderly workers in the US. We investigate pain and its relationship to work disability and work in a dynamic panel data model, using six biennial waves from the Health and Retirement Study. We find the dynamics of the presence of pain is central to understanding the dynamics of self-reported work disability. By affecting work disability pain also has important implications for the dynamic patterns of employment. PMID:18180063

Relapse May Serve as a Mediator Variable in Longitudinal Outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

Stone, Lael Anne; Cutter, Gary Raymond; Fisher, Elizabeth; Richert, Nancy; McCartin, Jennifer; Ohayon, Joan; Bash, Craig; McFarland, Henry

2016-05-01

Contrast-enhancing lesions (CEL) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are believed to represent inflammatory disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS), but their relationship to subsequent long-term disability and progression is unclear, particularly at longer time periods such as 8-10 years. Between 1989 and 1994, 111 MS patients were seen at the National Institutes of Health for clinical evaluations and 3 monthly contrast-enhanced MRI scans. Of these, 94 patients were re-evaluated a mean of 8 years later (range 6.1-10.5 years) with a single MRI scan and clinical evaluation. CEL number and volume were determined at baseline and follow-up. The number of relapses was ascertained over the follow-up period and annualized relapse rates were calculated. Other MRI parameters, such as T2 hyperintensity volume, T1 volume, and brain parenchymal fraction, were also calculated. While there was no direct correlation between CEL number or volume at baseline and disability status at follow-up, CEL measures at baseline did correlate with number of relapses observed in the subsequent years, and the number of relapses in turn correlated with subsequent disability as well as transition to progressive MS. While number and volume of CEL at baseline do not directly correlate with disability in the longer term in MS, our data suggest that 1 route to disability involves relapses as a mediator variable in the causal sequence of MS progression from CEL to disability. Further studies using relapse as a mediator variable in a larger data set may be warranted. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

Do Higher Levels of Resilience Buffer the Deleterious Impact of Chronic Illness on Disability in Later Life?

PubMed Central

Manning, Lydia K.; Carr, Dawn C.; Kail, Ben Lennox

2016-01-01

Purpose of the Study: In examining the ability of resilience, or the ability to navigate adversity in a manner that protects well-being, to buffer the impact of chronic disease onset on disability in later life, the authors tested 2 hypotheses: (a) People with greater levels of resilience will have lower levels of disability and (b) resilience will moderate the association between the onset of a new chronic condition and subsequent disability. Design and Methods: This study used a sample of 10,753 Americans between the ages of 51 and 98, derived from 3 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (2006–2010). Ordinary least squares regression was used to estimate the impact of resilience on changes in disability (measured as difficulty with activities of daily living [ADLs] and instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs]) over a 2-year period using a simplified resilience score. Results: Resilience protects against increases in ADL and IADL limitations that are often associated with aging. Resilience mitigates a considerable amount of the deleterious consequences related to the onset of chronic illness and subsequent disability. Implications: Our results support our hypotheses and are consistent with claims that high levels of resilience can protect against the negative impact of disability in later life. PMID:25063353

Working Memory in Children with Reading Disabilities and/or Mathematical Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Weerdt, Frauke; Desoete, Annemie; Roeyers, Herbert

2013-01-01

Elementary school children with reading disabilities (RD; "n" = 17), mathematical disabilities (MD; "n" = 22), or combined reading and mathematical disabilities (RD+MD; "n" = 28) were compared to average achieving (AA; "n" = 45) peers on working memory measures. On all working memory components, 2 (RD vs. no…

Work ability, effort-reward imbalance and disability pension claims.

PubMed

Wienert, J; Spanier, K; Radoschewski, F M; Bethge, M

2017-12-30

Effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and self-rated work ability are known independent correlates and predictors of intended disability pension claims. However, little research has focused on the interrelationship between the three and whether self-rated work ability mediates the relationship between ERI and intended disability pension claims. To investigate whether self-rated work ability mediates the association between ERI and intended disability pension claims. Baseline data from participants of the Third German Sociomedical Panel of Employees, a 5-year cohort study that investigates determinants of work ability, rehabilitation utilization and disability pensions in employees who have previously received sickness benefits, were analysed. We tested direct associations between ERI with intended disability pension claims (Model 1) and self-rated work ability (Model 2). Additionally, we tested whether work ability mediates the association between ERI and intended disability pension claims (Model 3). There were 2585 participants. Model 1 indicated a significant association between ERI and intended disability pension claims. Model 2 showed a significant association between ERI and self-rated work ability. The mediation in Model 3 revealed a significant indirect association between ERI and intended disability pension claims via self-rated work ability. There was no significant direct association between ERI and intended disability pension claims. Our results support the adverse health-related impact of ERI on self-rated work ability and intended disability pension claims. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Working Memory in Children With Learning Disabilities in Reading Versus Spelling: Searching for Overlapping and Specific Cognitive Factors.

PubMed

Brandenburg, Janin; Klesczewski, Julia; Fischbach, Anne; Schuchardt, Kirsten; Büttner, Gerhard; Hasselhorn, Marcus

2015-01-01

In transparent orthographies like German, isolated learning disabilities in either reading or spelling are common and occur as often as a combined reading and spelling disability. However, most issues surrounding the cognitive causes of these isolated or combined literacy difficulties are yet unresolved. Recently, working memory dysfunctions have been demonstrated to be promising in explaining the emergence of literacy difficulties. Thus, we applied a 2 (reading disability: yes vs. no) × 2 (spelling disability: yes vs. no) factorial design to examine distinct and overlapping working memory profiles associated with learning disabilities in reading versus spelling. Working memory was assessed in 204 third graders, and multivariate analyses of variance were conducted for each working memory component. Children with spelling disability suffered from more pronounced phonological loop impairments than those with reading disability. In contrast, domain-general central-executive dysfunctions were solely associated with reading disability, but not with spelling disability. Concerning the visuospatial sketchpad, no impairments were found. In sum, children with reading disability and those with spelling disability seem to be characterized by different working memory profiles. Thus, it is important to take both reading and spelling into account when investigating cognitive factors of literacy difficulties in transparent orthographies. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

Assessment of Integration of Disability Content into Social Work Education.

PubMed

Ogden, Lydia; McAllister, Carolyn; Neely-Barnes, Susan

2017-01-01

Three hundred members of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) responded to a survey regarding the inclusion of disability content in social work courses and supports needed to increase disability content. Although respondents generally agreed that disability content is important in social work education, its inclusion is inconsistent, with most frequent inclusion in courses on diversity and least frequent inclusion in courses on research. Respondents identified barriers to increasing disability content, including lack of resources for teaching, lack of relevant faculty expertise, and an overcrowded curriculum. Strategies and resources for infusing disability content into social work education are discussed.

Employer attitudes toward hiring persons with disabilities in Armenia.

PubMed

Breen, Jonathon; Havaei, Farinaz; Pitassi, Cristina

2018-04-17

The purpose of this two-part study was to provide input into a strategy to improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in Armenia. Employment rates for persons with disabilities in Armenia have been variously reported between eight and 21%, much below the general employment rate of 82%. First, a Participatory Action Research process led to the development of a 15 item self-report measure - the Perceived Barriers to Employing Persons with Disabilities Scale - which was administered to 158 employers. Second, respondent data were examined to determine psychometric properties of the scale and to inform strategic recommendations for policy development. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in the removal of 6 items, leaving a 9 item scale. Responses produced a multidimensional scale clustering around 2 factors. The first of these, structural issues, was principally informed by employer perceptions of limited skill levels of persons with disabilities, high costs associated with employing persons with disabilities, and the lack of accessibility within facilities. The second factor, social issues, was informed by employers' anticipation of negative reactions of coworkers, customers and supervisors toward persons with disabilities entering the workforce. Employers also indicated a belief that persons with disabilities with skills should be entitled to work. Results of this study suggest that attitudes of Armenian employers toward people with disabilities, and subsequent hiring decisions, are partly informed by perceptions of the negative reactions of others within the workplace. This finding disagrees with studies from other jurisdictions, which generally consider that these attitudes are principally informed by perceived skills deficits on the part of people with disabilities. These results would support the development of employer-focused information and awareness campaigns designed to address both of these factors. Implications for Rehabilitation Employment rates for people with disabilities are much below those of the general population. Research indicates that employer attitudes contribute significantly to the employment success of people with disabilities. A recent employer survey in Armenia indicates that these attitudes are influenced by a perception that others within the workplace do not accept people with disabilities. Vocational counseling and training programs, and employer awareness interventions, may be more effective if this influence on employer attitudes is addressed.

Examining occupational health and safety vulnerability among Canadian workers with disabilities.

PubMed

Breslin, F Curtis; Lay, A Morgan; Jetha, Arif; Smith, Peter

2017-05-26

To compare workers with and without disabilities on their reported workplace hazard exposure and the presence of occupational health and safety vulnerability factors. Working-aged adults in Ontario or British Columbia were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional survey (n = 1988). Self-reported measures included demographic factors, work-related variables, perceived level of activity limitation at work, and presence of work safety vulnerability factors utilizing a novel framework. Reporting a disability at work was significantly associated with greater hazard exposure than those without a disability. In addition, those reporting a disability at work were more likely to be employed in conditions where hazard exposure was combined with inadequate policies and procedures, or hazard exposures were combined with inadequate empowerment. Work safety vulnerability is one way that health inequalities can be perpetuated even among those with disabilities who have found work. Our results suggest that employers and policy makers need to focus on assessing and addressing hazard exposures and targeting occupational health and safety resources in the workplace in a way that includes workers with disabilities. Implications for Rehabilitation Workers with disabilities experience greater hazard exposure than those without a disability. Those with moderate and severe disabilities reported occupational health and safety vulnerability, suggesting that workplace accommodations should be available to a broader range of disability levels. It appears that, above and beyond standard safety procedures, providing workplace accommodations for people with disabilities may further reduce their hazard exposure and improve their safety.

Midlife work ability and mobility limitation in old age among non-disability and disability retirees--a prospective study.

PubMed

von Bonsdorff, Monika E; Rantanen, Taina; Törmäkangas, Timo; Kulmala, Jenni; Hinrichs, Timo; Seitsamo, Jorma; Nygård, Clas-Håkan; Ilmarinen, Juhani; von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B

2016-02-16

Little is known about the wellbeing and mobility limitation of older disability retirees. Personal and environmental factors, such as time spent in working life, may either exacerbate or mitigate the onset of mobility limitation in general population. We aimed to study perceived midlife work ability as a determinant of self-reported mobility limitation in old age among municipal employees who transitioned into non-disability and disability retirement. 4329 participants of the Finnish Longitudinal Study of Municipal Employees (FLAME) had retired during January 1985 and July 2000. They had data on retirement, perceived work ability in 1985, and self-reported mobility limitation (non-disability retirement n = 2870, men 39%; and diagnose-specific disability retirement n = 1459, men 48%). Self-reported mobility was measured in 1985, 1992, 1997 and 2009. The latest score available was used to assess the number of mobility limitation. Work ability was measured by asking the respondents to evaluate their current work ability against their lifetime best in 1985. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for work ability predicting mobility limitation in non-disability and diagnose-specific disability retirement groups were calculated using Poisson regression models. The prevalence of mobility limitation for those who transitioned into non-disability retirement (Incidence Rate, IR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.44-0.46) was lower compared to those who retired due to disability (IR = 0.65, CI = 0.63-0.66). A one-point increase in the work ability score decreased the risk for having one more mobility limitation among non-disability and all diagnose-specific retirement groups (musculoskeletal disease, cardiovascular disease, mental disorder, and other diseases). Better midlife work ability may protect from old age mobility limitation among those who retire due to non-disability and disability. Promoting work ability in midlife may lead to more independent, active aging, regardless of type of retirement.

Risk factors for work disability in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

PubMed

Ward, M M; Kuzis, S

2001-02-01

To identify risk factors for work disability in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Risk factors for permanent work disability and for receipt of disability payments were assessed using Cox regression models in a retrospective cohort study of 234 patients with AS. Candidate risk factors included age at onset of AS, sex, race, education level, marital status, the presence of comorbid conditions, smoking and drinking history, recreational activity, occupation, and physical activity at work. Risk factors for changes in the type of work performed, decrease in number of hours worked, long sick leave, and the need for help at work were assessed using logistic regression models in a prospective study of the subset of 144 patients who reported working for pay during the study. Candidate risk factors for these aspects of work disability were age, sex, race, education level, levels of functional disability, pain and stiffness, changes in functional disability, pain or stiffness over the preceding 6 months, minutes/week of recreational exercise, back exercises, freedom of movement at work, control over the pace of work, and physical activity at work. In a cohort of 234 patients with a median duration of AS of 21.4 years, 31 patients (13.2%) developed permanent work disability and 57 patients (24.3%) had received disability payments. Older age at onset of AS, less formal education, and having had jobs that were more physically active were significant risk factors for permanent work disability. These factors, along with the presence of a comorbid condition and being female, were also significantly associated with the receipt of disability payments. In a prospective study of 144 patients followed for a median of 4 years, higher levels of functional disability and pain were associated with increased risks of decreased work hours, long sick leaves, and needing help at work, while higher levels of pain were also associated with an increased risk of changing the type of work performed. Women were significantly more likely than men to change their type of work or decrease their work hours. Patients whose jobs were more physically demanding were more likely to change their type of work or need help at work. Patients with AS who have physically demanding jobs are more likely to experience permanent or temporary work disability, or need to change the type of work done or receive help at work, than those with jobs that are less physically demanding.

Is temporary employment a risk factor for work disability due to depressive disorders and delayed return to work? The Finnish Public Sector Study.

PubMed

Ervasti, Jenni; Vahtera, Jussi; Virtanen, Pekka; Pentti, Jaana; Oksanen, Tuula; Ahola, Kirsi; Kivimäki, Mika; Virtanen, Marianna

2014-07-01

Research on temporary employment as a risk factor for work disability due to depression is mixed, and few studies have measured work disability outcome in detail. We separately examined the associations of temporary employment with (i) the onset of work disability due to depression, (ii) the length of disability episodes, and (iii) the recurrence of work disability, taking into account the possible effect modification of sociodemographic factors. We linked the prospective cohort study data of 107 828 Finnish public sector employees to national registers on work disability (>9 days) due to depression from January 2005 to December 2011. Disability episodes were longer among temporary than permanent employees after adjustment for age, sex, level of education, chronic somatic disease, and history of mental/behavioral disorders [cumulative odds ratio (COR) 1.37, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.25-51). The association between temporary employment and the length of depression-related disability episodes was more pronounced among participants with a low educational level (COR 1.95, 95% CI 1.54-2.48) and older employees (>52 years; COR 3.67, 95% CI 2.83-4.76). The association was weaker in a subgroup of employees employed for ≥ 50% of the follow-up period (95% of the original sample). Temporary employment was not associated with the onset or recurrence of depression-related work disability. Temporary employment is associated with slower return to work, indicated by longer depression-related disability episodes, especially among older workers and those with a low level of education. Continuous employment might protect temporary employees from prolonged work disability.

Preparing for the World of Work: An Exploratory Study of Disabled Students' Experiences of Work Placement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgiou, Catherine Elizabeth; Espahbodi, Shima; De Souza, Lorraine Hilary

2012-01-01

For people with disabilities, one of the best ways to achieve independence is through work. Experience gained by undertaking a work placement whilst a student provides valuable knowledge and understanding of the demands of work, and enhances employability on graduation for both students with disabilities and for their non-disabled peers. The aims…

Occupational back disability in U.S. Army personnel.

PubMed

Berkowitz, S M; Feuerstein, M; Lopez, M S; Peck, C A

1999-06-01

Musculoskeletal disorders represent a prevalent source of outpatient visits, lost work time, hospitalization, and disability in the military. Recent research has identified patterns among military occupations, gender, and musculoskeletal disability. Although back disorders accounted for a high percentage of all cases, little is known about the relationship between job type and disability in soldiers. The present study analyzed 41,750 disability cases to determine (1) prevalence of work-related back disability diagnoses, (2) specific jobs associated with greater risk of back disability, and (3) association among gender, job type, and disability. The results indicate that (1) lumbosacral strain and intervertebral disc syndrome represent the most prevalent diagnoses for back disability, (2) certain occupations were associated with higher back disability risk, and (3) specific jobs were identified in which females experienced higher rates of back disability than males. The nature of these high-risk jobs, and recent research on work disability factors in U.S. Army soldiers, suggest that a combination of ergonomic and individual/organizational psychosocial factors may play a role in the development, exacerbation, and maintenance of work disability. Future research that identifies specific job factors contributing to increased back disability risk should assist in the development of empirically based work site prevention programs to improve musculoskeletal health and readiness.

20 CFR 416.924 - How we determine disability for children.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How we determine disability for children. 416....924 How we determine disability for children. (a) Steps in evaluating disability. We consider all... requirement, we will find that you are not disabled. (b) If you are working. If you are working and the work...

Interference with facial emotion recognition by verbal but not visual loads.

PubMed

Reed, Phil; Steed, Ian

2015-12-01

The ability to recognize emotions through facial characteristics is critical for social functioning, but is often impaired in those with a developmental or intellectual disability. The current experiments explored the degree to which interfering with the processing capacities of typically-developing individuals would produce a similar inability to recognize emotions through the facial elements of faces displaying particular emotions. It was found that increasing the cognitive load (in an attempt to model learning impairments in a typically developing population) produced deficits in correctly identifying emotions from facial elements. However, this effect was much more pronounced when using a concurrent verbal task than when employing a concurrent visual task, suggesting that there is a substantial verbal element to the labeling and subsequent recognition of emotions. This concurs with previous work conducted with those with developmental disabilities that suggests emotion recognition deficits are connected with language deficits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Employer attitudes towards the work inclusion of people with disability.

PubMed

Nota, Laura; Santilli, Sara; Ginevra, Maria C; Soresi, Salvatore

2014-11-01

This study examines the importance of work in life of people with disability and then focuses on employer attitudes towards these people. In the light of Stone and Colella's model, the study examines the employer attitudes and the role of variables such as type of disability, employer experience in the hiring of persons with disabilities, the description of hypothetical hirees with disabilities, the ways in which employers evaluate work performance and social acceptability, and the work tasks that they consider appropriate for workers with disability. Eighty employers were randomly assigned to standard condition (candidates with disability were presented by referring to the disability they presented) or positive condition (candidates were presented with reference to their strengths). It was found that the type of disability and its presentation influence employer attitudes. In addition, realistic and conventional tasks were considered appropriate for hirees with disabilities. Implications were discussed. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

76 FR 31366 - Notice of Funding Opportunity and Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) for Cooperative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-31

... disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed, and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits; and (2... performance. The complete SGA and any subsequent SGA amendments are described in further detail on ETA's Web site at http:// [[Page 31367

Discrimination in hiring under the Americans with Disabilities Act: an overview of the National EEOC ADA Research Project.

PubMed

McMahon, Brian T; Hurley, Jessica E

2008-06-01

This article is intended to provide an overview of the National EEOC ADA Research Project. It also previews four subsequent articles pertaining to the issue of hiring discrimination involving Americans with disabilities.

Using assistive technology outcomes research to inform policy related to the employment of individuals with disabilities.

PubMed

Mendelsohn, Steven; Edyburn, Dave L; Rust, Kathy L; Schwanke, Todd D; Smith, Roger O

2008-01-01

We know that work is recognized as a central component of life for individuals with and without disabilities. It yields many physical and psychological benefits to the individual while simultaneously contributing numerous benefits to society. Lawmakers have enacted a plethora of laws designed to prevent discrimination, provide incentives for employers to hire individuals with disabilities, and facilitate job training/career preparation. Assistive technology figures prominently in disability employment law as a critical strategy for gaining access and supporting employment and upward mobility in the workplace. However, little systematic effort has been devoted to examining assistive technology use and outcomes as they relate to the employment of individuals with disabilities. The purpose of this article is to articulate a series of issues that permeate assistive technology outcome measurement in employment settings and subsequently affect the use of research knowledge for federal and state policy makers. For each issue, the authors pose three questions for critical analysis: Does the law compel the provision of assistive technology? Does outcome data play any part in the operation of the law? When it does, what kind of data would be useful to collect and where could it be found? Finally, the authors provide a brief glimpse of the current and future research efforts concerning the RSA-911 database. The recent database summaries exemplify the importance of such a national data collection system for informing federal policy, particularly concerning the contributions of assistive technology device use and services on improving the employment of individuals with disabilities.

A Comparison of Work Value Preferences of Individuals with Disabilities and Individuals without Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lustig, Daniel C.; Zanskas, Stephen

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to compare the work value preferences of individuals with disabilities with the work value preferences for a sample of individuals without disabilities. Methods: The preferred work values of a sample of vocational rehabilitation consumers were compared to workers employed in a Southeastern university.…

20 CFR 220.15 - Effects of work on occupational disability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... occupation due to a permanent physical or mental impairment(s) may make an effort to return to work in his or... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Effects of work on occupational disability... Regular Railroad Occupation § 220.15 Effects of work on occupational disability. (a) Disability onset when...

Socioeconomic position, psychosocial work environment and disability in an ageing workforce: a longitudinal analysis of SHARE data from 11 European countries.

PubMed

Reinhardt, Jan D; Wahrendorf, Morten; Siegrist, Johannes

2013-03-01

Prevention of disability in the ageing workforce is essential for sustaining economic growth in Europe. In order to provide information on entry points for preventive measures, it is important to better understand sociodemographic, socioeconomic and work-related determinants of disability in older employees. We aimed to test the hypothesis that low socioeconomic position and exposure to a stressful psychosocial work environment at baseline contribute to later disability. We further assumed that the association of socioeconomic position with disability is partly mediated by exposure to adverse working conditions. We studied longitudinal data from the first two waves of the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe comprising 11 European countries. Sociodemographic, socioeconomic and work-related factors (low control, effort-reward imbalance) and baseline disability of 2665 male and 2209 female employees aged between 50 and 64 years were used to predict disability 2 years later. Following the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), disability was subdivided into the components 'impairment' and 'restriction in activities and participation'. Two multilevel Poisson regressions were fitted to the data. After adjusting for baseline disability and relevant confounding variables, low socioeconomic position and chronic stress at work exerted significant effects on disability scores 2 years later. We found some support for the hypothesis that the association of socioeconomic position with disability is partly mediated by work stress. Investing in reduction of work stress and reducing social inequalities in health functioning are relevant entry points of policies that aim at maintaining work ability in early old age.

Health status, activity limitations, and disability in work and housework among Latinos and non-Latinos with arthritis: an analysis of national data.

PubMed

Abraído-Lanza, Ana F; White, Kellee; Armbrister, Adria N; Link, Bruce G

2006-06-15

To document disparities in health status, activity limitations, and disability in work and housework between Latinos and non-Latino whites with arthritis. We examined whether sociodemographic factors (age, income, and education) account for the disparities between the ethnic groups, and whether comorbid conditions, disease duration, health care utilization, and functional abilities predict health status, activity limitations, and work and housework disability after controlling for sociodemographic variables. We analyzed data from the Condition file of the 1994 National Health Interview Survey on Disability, Phase I. The risk of worse health, activity limitations, and work and housework disability was >2 times greater among Latinos compared with non-Latino whites. In the regression models accounting for potential confounders, Latino ethnicity remained significantly associated with poorer health status, but not activity limitations or disability in work or housekeeping. Of the socioeconomic status variables, education had a significant protective effect on work disability and health status. Comorbid conditions and health care utilization increased the likelihood of worse health, activity limitations, and work disability. Limitations in physical function were associated with poorer health and disability in work and homemaking. Social status differences between Latinos and non-Latinos may account for disparities in activity limitations and disability in work and housework. Education may provide various health benefits, including access to a range of occupations that do not require physical demands. The findings help to address the great gap in knowledge concerning factors related to the health and disability status of Latinos with arthritis.

Psychosocial job quality in a national sample of working Australians: A comparison of persons working with versus without disability.

PubMed

LaMontagne, Anthony D; Krnjacki, L; Milner, A; Butterworth, P; Kavanagh, A

2016-12-01

There is growing international policy interest in disability employment, yet there has been little investigation of job quality among people working with disability. This study uses Australian national data to compare the psychosocial job quality of people working with versus without disability. We used 10 annual waves of data from a large representative Australian panel survey to estimate the proportion of the population experiencing poorer psychosocial job quality (overall and by individual 'adversities' of low job control, high demands, high insecurity, and low fairness of pay) by disability status and impairment type. We used logistic regression to examine the pooled cross-sectional associations between disability and job quality, adjusting for age, sex, education and job type. Those working with any disability showed approximately 25% higher odds of reporting one or more adversity at work (OR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.31), and this finding was consistent across impairment types with the exception of intellectual/developmental disability. Estimates were largely unchanged after adjustments. Similar results were found for reporting two or more adversities compared one or more. We observed that working people with a disability in Australia reported systematically poorer psychosocial job quality than those working without disability. These results suggest the need for further research to understand the reasons for these patterns, as well as policy and practice efforts to address this inequity.

How does work disability of patients with MS develop before and after diagnosis? A nationwide cohort study with a reference group.

PubMed

Gyllensten, Hanna; Wiberg, Michael; Alexanderson, Kristina; Hillert, Jan; Tinghög, Petter

2016-11-17

We compared work disability of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) from 5 years before with 5 years after diagnosis, with that of matched controls, and analysed whether progression in work disability among patients with MS was associated with sociodemography. Population-based cohort study. The adult Swedish general population. Residents aged 24-57 diagnosed with MS (n=3685) in 2003-2006 and 18 425 matched controls without MS. Annual net days of sickness absence (SA) and disability pension (DP), used as a proxy for work disability, followed from 5 years before to 5 years after diagnosis (ie, T-5-T+5). For patients with MS, regression was used to identify sociodemographic factors related to progression in work disability. Work disability of patients with MS increased gradually between T-5 and T-1 (mean: 46-82 days) followed by a sharp increase (T+1, 142 days), after which only a marginal increase was observed (T+5, 149 days). The matched controls had less work disability, slightly increasing during the period to a maximum of ∼40 days. Men with MS had a sharper increase in work disability before diagnosis. High educational level was associated with less progression in work disability before and around diagnosis. Patients with MS had more work disability days also 5 years before diagnosis. Several sociodemographic variables were associated with the absolute level and the progression in SA and DP. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Exploring the diversity of conceptualizations of work (dis)ability: a scoping review of published definitions.

PubMed

Lederer, Valérie; Loisel, Patrick; Rivard, Michèle; Champagne, François

2014-06-01

Researchers are confronted to numerous definitions of work ability/disability, influenced by their context of emergence, discipline, purpose, underlying paradigm and relationship to time. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the concept through a systematic scoping review and the development of an integrative concept map of work (dis)ability. The research questions are: How has work (dis)ability been conceptualized from the perspectives of research, practice, policy and industry in the published scientific literature? How has the conceptualization of work (dis)ability evolved over time? A search strategy was designed with a library scientist to retrieve scientific publications containing explicit definition(s) of work (dis)ability in leading-edge databases. The screening and the extraction of the definitions were achieved by duplicate assessment. The definitions were subject to a comparative analysis based on the grounded theory approach. In total, 423 abstracts were retrieved from the bibliographic databases. After removing duplicates, 280 unique records were screened for inclusion. A final set of 115 publications containing unique original conceptual definitions served as basis for analysis. The scientific literature does not reflect a shared, integrated vision of the exact nature and dimensions of work (dis)ability. However, except for a few definitions, there seems to be a consensus that work (dis)ability is a relational concept resulting from the interaction of multiple dimensions that influence each other through different ecological levels. The conceptualization of work (dis)ability also seems to have become more dynamic over time. The way work (dis)ability is defined has important implications for research, compensation and rehabilitation.

Work, organisational practices, and margin of manoeuver during work reintegration.

PubMed

O'Hagan, Fergal

2017-09-29

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. 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. 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. 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.

20 CFR 220.10 - Disability for work in an employee's regular railroad occupation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... railroad occupation. 220.10 Section 220.10 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Under the Railroad Retirement Act for Work in an Employee's Regular Railroad Occupation § 220.10 Disability for work in an employee's regular...

20 CFR 220.171 - The reentitlement period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... period after the 9 months of trial work during which the annuitant may continue to test his or her ability to work if he or she has a disabling impairment(s). (2) The disability annuity of an employee... DETERMINING DISABILITY Trial Work Period and Reentitlement Period for Annuitants Disabled for Any Regular...

20 CFR 220.171 - The reentitlement period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... period after the 9 months of trial work during which the annuitant may continue to test his or her ability to work if he or she has a disabling impairment(s). (2) The disability annuity of an employee... DETERMINING DISABILITY Trial Work Period and Reentitlement Period for Annuitants Disabled for Any Regular...

20 CFR 220.171 - The reentitlement period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... period after the 9 months of trial work during which the annuitant may continue to test his or her ability to work if he or she has a disabling impairment(s). (2) The disability annuity of an employee... DETERMINING DISABILITY Trial Work Period and Reentitlement Period for Annuitants Disabled for Any Regular...

An Enduring Health Risk of Childhood Adversity: Earlier, More Severe, and Longer Lasting Work Disability in Adult Life.

PubMed

Laditka, Sarah B; Laditka, James N

2018-02-08

Childhood adversity has been linked with adult health problems. We hypothesized that childhood adversity would also be associated with work limitations due to physical or nervous health problems, known as work disability. With data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) (1968-2013; n=6,045; 82,374 transitions; 129,107 person-years) and the 2014 PSID Childhood Retrospective Circumstances Study, we estimated work disability transition probabilities with multinomial logistic Markov models. Four or more adversities defined a high level. Microsimulations quantified adult work disability patterns for African American and non-Hispanic white women and men, accounting for age, education, race, sex, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and sedentary behavior. Childhood adversity was significantly associated with work disability. Of African American women with high adversity, 10.2% had moderate work disability at age 30 versus 4.1% with no reported adversities; comparable results for severe work disability were 5.6% versus 1.9% (both p<0.01). Comparable results for whites were 11.3% versus 4.7%, and 3.5% versus 1.1% (p<0.01). The association of childhood adversity with work disability remained significant after adjusting for diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and sedentary behavior (p<0.05). Childhood adversity may increase work disability throughout adult life. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Disabled and Non-Disabled Actors Working in Partnership for a Theatrical Performance: A Research on Theatrical Partnerships as Enablers of Social and Behavioural Skills for Persons with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenakakis, Antonis; Koltsida, Maria

2017-01-01

This case study investigates the working conditions of a mixed theatre group and its impact on its disabled members. The qualitative research aims to explore the impact of drama work, rehearsals and performances on the disabled members' social skills, and behavioural and emotional difficulties. Data collection methods included semi-structured…

Trends in work disability with mental diagnoses among social workers in Finland and Sweden in 2005-2012.

PubMed

Rantonen, O; Alexanderson, K; Pentti, J; Kjeldgård, L; Hämäläinen, J; Mittendorfer-Rutz, E; Kivimäki, M; Vahtera, J; Salo, P

2017-12-01

Aims Social workers report high levels of stress and have an increased risk for hospitalisation with mental diagnoses. However, it is not known whether the risk of work disability with mental diagnoses is higher among social workers compared with other human service professionals. We analysed trends in work disability (sickness absence and disability pension) with mental diagnoses and return to work (RTW) in 2005-2012 among social workers in Finland and Sweden, comparing with such trends in preschool teachers, special education teachers and psychologists. Records of work disability (>14 days) with mental diagnoses (ICD-10 codes F00-F99) from nationwide health registers were linked to two prospective cohort projects: the Finnish Public Sector study, years 2005-2011 and the Insurance Medicine All Sweden database, years 2005-2012. The Finnish sample comprised 4849 employees and the Swedish 119 219 employees covering four occupations: social workers (Finland 1155/Sweden 23 704), preschool teachers (2419/74 785), special education teachers (832/14 004) and psychologists (443/6726). The reference occupations were comparable regarding educational level. Risk of work disability was analysed with negative binomial regression and RTW with Cox proportional hazards. Social workers in Finland and Sweden had a higher risk of work disability with mental diagnoses compared with preschool teachers and special education teachers (rate ratios (RR) 1.43-1.91), after adjustment for age and sex. In Sweden, but not in Finland, social workers also had higher work disability risk than psychologists (RR 1.52; 95% confidence interval 1.28-1.81). In Sweden, in the final model special education teachers had a 9% higher probability RTW than social workers. In Sweden, in the final model the risks for work disability with depression diagnoses and stress-related disorder diagnoses were similar to the risk with all mental diagnoses (RR 1.40-1.77), and the probability of RTW was 6% higher in preschool teachers after work disability with depression diagnoses and 9% higher in special education teachers after work disability with stress-related disorder diagnoses compared with social workers. Social workers appear to be at a greater risk of work disability with mental diagnoses compared with other human service professionals in Finland and Sweden. It remains to be studied whether the higher risk is due to selection of vulnerable employees to social work or the effect of work-related stress in social work. Further studies should focus on these mechanisms and the risk of work disability with mental diagnoses among human service professionals.

Part-time work among older workers with disabilities in Europe.

PubMed

Pagán, R

2009-05-01

To analyse the use of part-time work among older workers with disabilities compared with their non-disabled counterparts within a European context. Cross-sectional. Data were drawn from the 2004 Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. The key advantage of this dataset is that it provides a harmonized cross-national dimension, and contains information for European individuals aged 50 years or over on a wide range of health indicators, disability, socio-economic situation, social relations, etc. Older people with disabilities (aged 50-64 years) are more likely to have a part-time job compared with their non-disabled counterparts. Although there is an important employment gap between the two groups, many older workers with disabilities use part-time work to achieve a better balance between their health status and working life. The econometric analysis corroborated that being disabled has a positive effect on the probability of working on a part-time basis, although this effect varies by country. Policy makers must encourage part-time employment as a means of increasing employment opportunities for older workers with disabilities, and support gradual retirement opportunities with flexible and reduced working hours. It is crucial to change attitudes towards older people with disabilities in order to increase their labour participation and reduce their levels of poverty and marginalization.

How do working-age people with disabilities spend their time? New evidence from the American Time Use Survey.

PubMed

Anand, Priyanka; Ben-Shalom, Yonatan

2014-12-01

We use the American Time Use Survey to examine the extent to which adults with disabilities-defined using both the new six-question sequence on disability and the traditional work-limitation question-spend more time on health-related activities and less time on other activities than those without disabilities. We find that men and women who both reported a work limitation and responded "yes" to any of the questions in the six-question disability sequence spend approximately 40 to 50 more minutes per week, respectively, on health-related activities. We also find that most working-age men and women who report a disability work fewer hours per day than men and women without disabilities. The largest difference is for men and women who report both types of disability; these individuals spend, on average, 5 fewer hours per day in paid work than men and women without disabilities. On average, most of the decrease in paid work time is offset by more time spent on leisure activities (defined as activities that provide direct utility, such as entertainment, social activities, attending recreational events, and general relaxation) and sleeping, which is likely due to these being default activities for individuals whose medical issues and environment constrain them from participating in other activities.

[The prognostic value of variables from the quality assurance program and of the rehabilitation-discharge report of the LVA Baden-Württemberg for early retirement: results of a retrospective cohort-study].

PubMed

Küpper-Nybelen, J; Rothenbacher, D; Jacobi, E; Brenner, H

2003-12-01

Since 1997 the LVA Baden-Württemberg pension insurance agency has implemented an instrument to measure the outcome quality of in-patient rehabilitation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of various short-term rehabilitation success markers and of variables of the quality assurance program and the rehab-discharge report of the LVA Baden-Württemberg on early retirement by means of a retrospective cohort study. The analysis was based on routinely registered data of patients who underwent in-hospital rehabilitation in a hospital accredited by the LVA Baden-Württemberg between June 1997 and June 1999. Baseline data included information from medical discharge reports and from the quality assurance programme. Follow-up information with regard to disability was collected until July 2000. The prognostic value of the quality assurance programme and of 4 standardized documented items from the medical discharge report was estimated by proportional hazards regression. In this analysis 6,823 patients aged 30-59 years who underwent an in-patient rehab programme between June 1997 and July 1999 in 5 of 6 LVA rehab clinics were included. During follow-up (mean duration: 1.8 years) 908 (13.3%) patients retired because of health-related disability. The variables with the strongest prognostic values were the evaluation of the patient health status by the physician and the patients themselves and the capacity to work. The variables with the highest prognostic value were the evaluation on a 1-6 visual analogue scale; a better assessment by one mark of the health status by physician and patient himself, respectively, was associated with a 53% and 40% reduced risk of disability. Fitness for work at discharge was the most prognostic variable from the discharge report. Patients who were able to work had a 78% reduced risk of disability compared to patients unable to work. Also of prognostic relevance were a positive performance and the duration of the inability to work the year before rehabilitation. The variables of the newly developed quality assurance programme of the LVA clearly demonstrated a prognostic value in terms of risk for subsequent early retirement. It should be considered to include the ability to work at discharge in the programme to further improve its prognostic value.

Attitudes towards disability management: A survey of employees returning to work and their supervisors.

PubMed

Busse, Jason W; Dolinschi, Roman; Clarke, Andrew; Scott, Liz; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah; Amick, Benjamin C; Rivilis, Irina; Cole, Donald

2011-01-01

Return to work after a leave on disability is a common phenomenon, but little is known about the attitudes of employees or their supervisors towards the disability management process. We report on employee and supervisor feedback from one disability management experience. 389 consecutive employees from the Ontario offices of a single private Canadian insurance company returning to work from short-term disability, and their supervisors. We surveyed employees and their supervisors about their experience with, and attitudes towards, the disability management process. Of those surveyed, 88 employees and 75 supervisors provided data (response rates of 22.6% and 19.3% respectively). The majority of respondents (79.1% of employees and supervisors) endorsed positive attitudes towards their disability management experience. More than 25% of employees disagreed with the following three items: case managers contributed to recovery, case managers removed barriers to recovery, and sufficient support was provided in the return to work process. More than 25% of employees and managers reported that a commitment to modify an unhelpful work situation was not followed through. The majority of participating employees returning to work from short-term disability, and their supervisors, reported a high level of satisfaction with the disability management process. Areas that may benefit from attention include some aspects of case manager-employee interaction and ensuring that support during the return to work process is provided, including modification to work situations when appropriate.

20 CFR 220.170 - The trial work period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... DETERMINING DISABILITY Trial Work Period and Reentitlement Period for Annuitants Disabled for Any Regular... disabled. The trial work period begins and ends as described in paragraph (e) of this section. During this... she is disabled for any regular employment as defined in § 220.26. (d) Who is and is not entitled to a...

20 CFR 220.170 - The trial work period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... DISABILITY Trial Work Period and Reentitlement Period for Annuitants Disabled for Any Regular Employment... period during which the annuitant may test his or her ability to work and still be considered disabled... she is disabled for any regular employment as defined in § 220.26. (d) Who is and is not entitled to a...

Anchoring Vignettes in the Health and Retirement Study: How Do Medical Professionals and Disability Recipients Characterize the Severity of Work Limitations?

PubMed Central

Heiland, Frank; Yin, Na

2015-01-01

Purpose Recent studies report systematic differences in how individuals categorize the severity of identical health and work limitation vignettes. We investigate how health professionals and disability recipients characterize the severity of work limitations and whether their reporting patterns are robust to demographic, education, and health characteristics. We use the results to illustrate the potential impact of reporting heterogeneity on the distribution of work disability estimated from self-reported categorical health and disability data. Method Nationally representative data on anchoring disability vignettes from the 2004 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) are used to investigate how respondents with an occupation background in health and Social Security disability beneficiaries categorize work limitation vignettes. Using pain, cardiovascular health, and depression vignettes, we estimate generalized ordered probit models (N = 2,660 individuals or 39,681 person-vignette observations) that allow the severity thresholds to vary by respondent characteristics. Results We find that health professionals (excluding nurses) and disability recipients tend to classify identical work limitations as more severe compared to non-health professional non-disabled respondents. For disability recipients, the differences are most pronounced and particularly visible in the tails of the work limitations distribution. For health professionals, we observe smaller differences, affecting primarily the classification of mildly and moderately severe work limitations. The patterns for health professionals (excluding nurses) are robust to demographics, education, and health conditions. The greater likelihood of viewing the vignette person as more severely work limited observed among disability recipients is mostly explained by the fact that these respondents also tend to be in poorer health which itself predicts a more inclusive scale. Conclusions Knowledge of reporting scales from health professionals and disabled individuals can benefit researchers in a broad range of applications in health and disability research. They may be useful as reference scales to evaluate disability survey data. Such knowledge may be beneficial when studying disability programs. Given the increasing availability of anchoring vignette data in surveys, this is a promising area for future evaluation research. PMID:25966316

The role of psychiatric, cardiometabolic, and musculoskeletal comorbidity in the recurrence of depression-related work disability.

PubMed

Ervasti, Jenni; Vahtera, Jussi; Pentti, Jaana; Oksanen, Tuula; Ahola, Kirsi; Kivekäs, Teija; Kivimäki, Mika; Virtanen, Marianna

2014-09-01

Comorbid psychiatric disorders, cardiovascular disease, chronic hypertension, diabetes, and musculoskeletal disorders are highly prevalent in depression. However, the extent to which these conditions affect the recurrence of depression-related work disability is unknown. The specific aims of the study were to investigate the extent to which comorbid other psychiatric disorders, cardiometabolic, and musculoskeletal conditions were associated with the recurrence of depression-related work disability among employees who had returned to work after a depression-related disability episode. A cohort study of Finnish public sector employees with at least one depression-related disability episode during 2005-2011 after which the employee had returned to work (14,172 depression-related work disability episodes derived from national health and disability registers for 9,946 individuals). We used Cox proportional hazard models for recurrent events. Depression-related work disability recurred in 35% of the episodes that had ended in return to work from a previous episode, totaling 4,927 recurrent episodes among 3,095 (31%) employees. After adjustment for sex, age, socioeconomic status, and type of employment contract, comorbid psychiatric disorder (hazard ratio = 1.82, 95% CI 1.68-1.97), cardiovascular disease (1.39, 95% CI 1.04-1.87), diabetes (1.43, 95% CI 1.11-1.85), chronic hypertension (1.33, 95% CI 1.11-1.58), and musculoskeletal disorder (1.17, 95% CI 1.06-1.28) were associated with an increased risk of a recurrent episode compared to those without these comorbid conditions. Recurrence of depression-related work disability is common. Employees with comorbid psychiatric, cardiometabolic, or musculoskeletal conditions are at an increased risk of recurrent depression-related work disability episodes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development and Validation of the Social Worker's Attitudes toward Disability Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheatham, Leah P.; Abell, Neil; Kim, Hyejin

2015-01-01

Disability scholars have recently highlighted social work professional organizations' lagging pace in adopting disability advocacy within diversity agendas and have questioned the adequacy of disability content within accredited social work curricula. Amid growing concerns, measures to assess attitudes of social workers toward disability and…

Disability in Fibromyalgia Associates with Symptom Severity and Occupation Characteristics.

PubMed

Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann; Ste-Marie, Peter A; Rampakakis, Emmanouil; Sampalis, John S; Shir, Yoram

2016-05-01

It is intuitive that disability caused by illness should be reflected in illness severity. Because disability rates for fibromyalgia (FM) are high in the developed world, we have examined disease and work characteristics for patients with FM who were working, unemployed, or receiving disability payments for disability as a result of FM. Of the 248 participants in a tertiary care cohort study of patients with FM, 90 were employed, 81 were not employed and not receiving disability payments, and 77 were not working and currently receiving disability payments awarded for disability caused by FM. Demographic, occupation, and disease characteristics were compared among the groups. The prevalence of disability caused by FM was 30.8%. There were no demographic differences among the working, unemployed, or disabled patients. With the exception of measures for anxiety and depression, all measurements for disease severity differed significantly among the groups, with greater severity reported for the disabled group, which used more medications and participated less in physical activity. Disabled patients were more likely previously employed in manual professions or the service industry, whereas employed patients were more commonly working in non-manual jobs that included clerical, managerial, or professional occupations (p = 0.005). The one-third rate of disability for this Canadian cohort of patients with FM is in line with other reports from the western world. Associations of disability compensation were observed for subjective report of symptom severity, increased use of medications, and previous employment in more physically demanding jobs.

Predictors of disability retirement.

PubMed

Krause, N; Lynch, J; Kaplan, G A; Cohen, R D; Goldberg, D E; Salonen, J T

1997-12-01

Disability retirement may increase as the work force ages, but there is little information on factors associated with retirement because of disability. This is the first prospective population-based study of predictors of disability retirement including information on workplace, socioeconomic, behavioral, and health-related factors. The subjects were 1038 Finnish men who were enrolled in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study, who were 42, 48, 54, or 60 years of age at the beginning of the study, and who participated in a 4-year follow-up medical examination. Various job characteristics predicted disability retirement. Heavy work, work in uncomfortable positions, long workhours, noise at work, physical job strain, musculoskeletal strain, repetitive or continuous muscle strain, mental job strain, and job dissatisfaction were all significantly associated with the incidence of disability retirement. The ability to communicate with fellow workers and social support from supervisors tended to reduce the risk of disability retirement. The relationships persisted after control for socioeconomic factors, prevalent disease, and health behavior, which were also associated with disability retirement. The strong associations found between workplace factors and the incidence of disability retirement link the problem of disability retirement to the problem of poor work conditions.

Unmet need for disability-related health care services and employment status among adults with disabilities in the Massachusetts Medicaid program.

PubMed

Henry, Alexis D; Long-Bellil, Linda; Zhang, Jianying; Himmelstein, Jay

2011-10-01

The employment rate among adults with disabilities is significantly lower than that among adults without disabilities. Ensuring access to rehabilitative and other health care services may help to address health-related barriers to employment for working-age people with disabilities. This study examined the relationship of unmet need for 6 disability-related health care services to current employment status among working-age adults with disabilities enrolled in the Massachusetts Medicaid (MassHealth Standard) program. Study participants included 436 MassHealth Standard members aged 19 to 64 who responded to the 2005/2006 MassHealth Employment and Disability Survey. Variables included members' demographic characteristics; Medicaid health plan and Medicare enrollment; members' self-report of potentially disabling conditions and current health status; access to health care as well as need and unmet need for 6 specific disability-related health care services (medications, mental health services, substance abuse services, medical supplies, durable medical equipment, personal assistance services); and current employment status. Fifteen percent of members reported currently working. Logistic regression analysis showed that (controlling for demographics, disability, health status, and other factors) members with greater unmet need were significantly less likely to be working (odds ratio = 0.58; 95% confidence interval = 0.33 to 0.99). Members' experience of unmet need was significantly greater for physical health services (supplies, durable medical equipment, personal assistance services) than for behavioral health services (mental health and substance abuse services) or medications. Working members generally rated services as important to work. Approximately 10% to 22% of nonworking members thought they would be able to work if needs were met. Meeting unmet needs for disability-related health care services may result in modest increases in employment among certain working-age adults with disabilities enrolled in the Massachusetts Medicaid program. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Employer Accommodation and Labor Supply of Disabled Workers*

PubMed Central

Hill, Matthew J.; Maestas, Nicole; Mullen, Kathleen J.

2016-01-01

We examine the factors that influence employer accommodation of newly disabled workers and how effective such accommodations are in retaining workers and discouraging disability insurance applications. Using the Health and Retirement Study, we find that only a quarter of newly disabled older workers in their 50s are accommodated by their employers in some way following onset of a disability. Importantly, we find that few employer characteristics explain which workers are accommodated; rather, employee characteristics, particularly the presence of personality traits correlated with assertiveness and open communication, are highly predictive of accommodation. We also find that if employer accommodation rates could be increased, disabled workers would be significantly more likely to delay labor force exit for up to two years. However, accommodation does not appear to reduce subsequent disability insurance claiming. PMID:27840560

Patient clusters in acute, work-related back pain based on patterns of disability risk factors.

PubMed

Shaw, William S; Pransky, Glenn; Patterson, William; Linton, Steven J; Winters, Thomas

2007-02-01

To identify subgroups of patients with work-related back pain based on disability risk factors. Patients with work-related back pain (N = 528) completed a 16-item questionnaire of potential disability risk factors before their initial medical evaluation. Outcomes of pain, functional limitation, and work disability were assessed 1 and 3 months later. A K-Means cluster analysis of 5 disability risk factors (pain, depressed mood, fear avoidant beliefs, work inflexibility, and poor expectations for recovery) resulted in 4 sub-groups: low risk (n = 182); emotional distress (n = 103); severe pain/fear avoidant (n = 102); and concerns about job accommodation (n = 141). Pain and disability outcomes at follow-up were superior in the low-risk group and poorest in the severe pain/fear avoidant group. Patients with acute back pain can be discriminated into subgroups depending on whether disability is related to pain beliefs, emotional distress, or workplace concerns.

Relationship Between Age, Tenure, and Disability Duration in Persons With Compensated Work-Related Conditions

PubMed Central

Besen, Elyssa; Young, Amanda E.; Gaines, Brittany; Pransky, Glenn

2016-01-01

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the relationships among age, tenure, and the length of disability following a work-related injury/illness. Methods: This study utilized 361,754 administrative workers’ compensation claims. The relationships between age, tenure, and disability duration was estimated with random-effects models. Results: The age-disability duration relationship was stronger than the tenure-disability duration relationship. An interaction was observed between age and tenure. At younger ages, disability duration varied little based on tenure. In midlife, disability duration was greater for workers with lower tenure than for workers with higher tenure. At the oldest ages, disability duration increased as tenure increased. Conclusions: Findings indicate that age is a more important factor in disability duration than tenure; however, the relationship between age and disability duration varies based on tenure, suggesting that both age and tenure are important influences in the work-disability process. PMID:26645384

Relationship Between Age, Tenure, and Disability Duration in Persons With Compensated Work-Related Conditions.

PubMed

Besen, Elyssa; Young, Amanda E; Gaines, Brittany; Pransky, Glenn

2016-02-01

The aim of the study was to examine the relationships among age, tenure, and the length of disability following a work-related injury/illness. This study utilized 361,754 administrative workers' compensation claims. The relationships between age, tenure, and disability duration was estimated with random-effects models. The age-disability duration relationship was stronger than the tenure-disability duration relationship. An interaction was observed between age and tenure. At younger ages, disability duration varied little based on tenure. In midlife, disability duration was greater for workers with lower tenure than for workers with higher tenure. At the oldest ages, disability duration increased as tenure increased. Findings indicate that age is a more important factor in disability duration than tenure; however, the relationship between age and disability duration varies based on tenure, suggesting that both age and tenure are important influences in the work-disability process.

Alternative Spaces of "Work" and Inclusion for Disabled People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Edward; Wilton, Robert

2011-01-01

Western governments have emphasized paid work as a key route to social inclusion for disabled people. Although the proportion of disabled people in "mainstream" employment has increased in recent decades, rates remain significantly below those for non-disabled people. Moreover, disabled workers continue to face discrimination and a lack of…

Physical Intervention with People with Intellectual Disabilities: The Influence of Cognitive and Emotional Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dagnan, Dave; Weston, Clive

2006-01-01

Background: This study examines the relationship between the topography of challenging behaviour, subsequent attributions and emotional responses, with whether carers use physical intervention and their satisfaction with their intervention. Method: Thirty-seven carers described incidents where a person with an intellectual disability had exhibited…

The Influence of Level of Discrepancy on the Identification of Students with Learning Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeskey, James

1989-01-01

Investigation of the relationship between a statistically determined severe discrepancy between expected and actual achievement levels and subsequent labeling of 733 students as learning disabled found only a slight majority of labeled students manifesting a severe discrepancy suggesting this criterion is inconsistently applied in making…

Work disability prevention in rural healthcare workers.

PubMed

Franche, Renée L; Murray, Eleanor J; Ostry, Aleck; Ratner, Pamela A; Wagner, Shannon L; Harder, Henry G

2010-01-01

Approximately 20% of healthcare workers in high-income countries such as Australia, Canada and the USA work in rural areas. Healthcare workers are known to be vulnerable to occupational injury and poor work disability outcomes; given their rural-urban distribution, it is possible to compare work disability prevention in rural and urban areas. However, little attention has been paid to work disability prevention issues specific to rural workers, including rural healthcare workers. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted to identify rural-urban differences in work disability outcomes (defined as the incidence of occupational injury and the duration of associated work absence), as well as risk factors for poor work disability outcomes in rural healthcare workers. The databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE were searched, as were relevant research centers and government agencies, to identify all quantitative and qualitative English-language studies published between 1 January 2000 and 6 October 2009 that discussed occupational injury, work absence duration, work disability management, or risk factors for poor work disability outcomes, for rural workers specifically, or in comparison with urban workers. To ensure inclusion of studies of healthcare workers as a distinct group among other sector-specific groups, a broad search for literature related to all industrial sectors was conducted. Of 860 references identified, 5 discussed work disability outcomes and 25 discussed known risk factors. Known risk factors were defined as factors firmly established to be associated with poor work disability outcomes in the general worker population based on systematic reviews, well-established conceptual models of work disability prevention, and public health literature. Although somewhat conflicting, the evidence suggests that rural healthcare workers experience higher rates of occupational injury compared with urban healthcare workers, within occupational categories. Rural workers also appear to be more vulnerable to prolonged work absence although the data are limited. No studies directly compared risk factors for work disability prevention outcomes between rural and urban healthcare workers. However, potential risk factors were identified at the level of the environment, worker, job, organization, worker compensation system and healthcare access. Important methodological limitations were noted, including unclear definitions of rurality, inadequate methods of urban-rural comparisons such as comparing samples from different countries, and a paucity of studies applying longitudinal or multivariate designs. There is a notable lack of evidence about work disability prevention issues for healthcare workers in rural areas. Available evidence supports the hypothesis that rural healthcare workers are vulnerable to occupational injury, and suggests they are vulnerable to prolonged work absence. They may be particularly vulnerable to poor work disability prevention outcomes due to complex patient needs in the context of risk factors such as heavy workloads, long hours, heavy on-call demands, high stress levels, limited support and workplace violence. Additional vulnerability may occur because their work conditions are managed in distant urban administrative centers, and due to barriers in their own healthcare access. Although rural healthcare workers seem generally at greater risk of injury, one study suggests that urban emergency medical service workers experience a high vulnerability to injury that may outweigh the effects of rurality. Additional research is needed to document rural-urban disparities in work disability outcomes and to identify associated sources and risk factors. Other issues to address are access to and quality of healthcare for rural healthcare workers, streamlining the compensation system, the unique needs of Aboriginal healthcare workers, and the management of prolonged work absence. Finally, occupational injury and work absence duration programs should be tailored to meet the needs of rural workers.

Low prevalence of work disability in early inflammatory arthritis (EIA) and early rheumatoid arthritis at enrollment into a multi-site registry: results from the catch cohort.

PubMed

Mussen, Lauren; Boyd, Tristan; Bykerk, Vivian; de Leon, Faye; Li, Lihua; Boire, Gilles; Hitchon, Carol; Haraoui, Boulos; Thorne, J Carter; Pope, Janet

2013-02-01

We determined the prevalence of work disability in early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) and undifferentiated early inflammatory arthritis (EIA) patients at first enrollment into the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (CATCH) who met the 2010 ACR criteria versus those not meeting criteria, to determine the impact of meeting new criteria on work disability status. Data at first visit into the cohort were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the association of other variables in our database with work disability. 1,487 patients were enrolled in the CATCH study, a multi-site observational, prospective cohort of patients with EIA. 934 patients were excluded (505 based on missing criteria for ACR 2010 classification, as anti-CCP was absent, and 429 were not working for other reasons). Of the 553 patients included, 71 % were female with mean disease duration of 6.4 months. 524 (94.8 %) were employed while 29 (5.2 %) reported work disability at first visit. There were no differences between those meeting 2010 ACR criteria versus those who did not. Baseline characteristics associated with work disability were male gender, age, education, income, HAQ, and positive RF status. The mean HAQ score in work disabled patients was 1.4 versus 0.9 in those who were working (p < 0.001). Disease activity score (DAS28) was not associated with work disability (p = 0.069), nor was tender joint count, swollen joint count, anti-CCP, patient global assessment, or SF-12v2. In the regression model, work disability was associated with lower income levels (p = 0.01) and worse HAQ scores (OR 2.33; p = 0.001), but not significantly associated with male gender (p = 0.08), older age (>50 years; p = 0.3), lower education (p = 0.3) or RF positivity (p = 0.6). We found rates of work disability to be low at entry into this EIA cohort compared to previous studies. There may be potential for intervention in ERA to prevent the development of work disability.

Brief Report: Predicting Functional Disability: One-Year Results From the Scottish Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Inception Cohort.

PubMed

Kronisch, Caroline; McLernon, David J; Dale, James; Paterson, Caron; Ralston, Stuart H; Reid, David M; Tierney, Ann; Harvie, John; McKay, Neil; Wilson, Hilary E; Munro, Robin; Saunders, Sarah; Richmond, Ruth; Baxter, Derek; McMahon, Mike; Kumar, Vinod; McLaren, John; Siebert, Stefan; McInnes, Iain B; Porter, Duncan; Macfarlane, Gary J; Basu, Neil

2016-07-01

To identify baseline prognostic indicators of disability at 1 year within a contemporary early inflammatory arthritis inception cohort and then develop a clinically useful tool to support early patient education and decision-making. The Scottish Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (SERA) inception cohort is a multicenter, prospective study of patients with newly presenting RA or undifferentiated arthritis. SERA data were analyzed to determine baseline predictors of disability (defined as a Health Assessment Questionnaire [HAQ] score of ≥1) at 1 year. Clinical and psychosocial baseline exposures were entered into a forward stepwise logistic regression model. The model was externally validated using newly accrued SERA data and subsequently converted into a prediction tool. Of the 578 participants (64.5% female), 36.7% (n = 212) reported functional disability at 1 year. Functional disability was independently predicted by baseline disability (odds ratio [OR] 2.67 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.98, 3.59]), depression (OR 2.52 [95% CI 1.18, 5.37]), anxiety (OR 2.37 [95% CI 1.33, 4.21]), being in paid employment with absenteeism during the last week (OR 1.19 [95% CI 0.63, 2.23]), not being in paid employment (OR 2.36 [95% CI 1.38, 4.03]), and being overweight (OR 1.61 [95% CI 1.04, 2.50]). External validation (using 113 newly acquired patients) evidenced good discriminative performance with a C statistic of 0.74, and the calibration slope showed no evidence of model overfit (P = 0.31). In the context of modern early inflammatory arthritis treatment paradigms, predictors of disability at 1 year appear to be dominated by psychosocial rather than more traditional clinical measures. This indicates the potential benefit of early access to nonpharmacologic interventions targeting key psychosocial factors, such as mental health and work disability. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

Evidence-Based Interventions for Increasing Work Participation for Persons With Various Disabilities.

PubMed

Smith, Diane L; Atmatzidis, Katie; Capogreco, Marisa; Lloyd-Randolfi, Dominic; Seman, Victoria

2017-04-01

Title I of the Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination in employment; however, 26 years later, employment rates for persons with disabilities hover at 34%. This systematic review investigates the effectiveness of evidence-based interventions to increase employment for people with various disabilities. Forty-six articles met the inclusion criteria for evidence-based interventions. The majority of studies assessed interventions for persons with mental health disabilities. Strong evidence was found for ongoing support and work-related social skills training prior to and during competitive employment for persons with mental health disabilities. Moderate evidence supported simulation and use of assistive technology, especially apps for cueing and peer support to increase work participation for persons with intellectual disabilities, neurological/cognitive disabilities, and autism spectrum disorder. Many of the strategies to increase work participation were appropriate for occupational therapy intervention. Suggestions were made for research, specifically looking at more rigorous evaluation of strategies in the long term.

Negotiating accommodations so that work-based education facilitates career development for youth with disabilities.

PubMed

Hutchinson, Nancy L; Versnel, Joan; Chin, Peter; Munby, Hugh

2008-01-01

Workers with disabilities are entitled to have their individual needs accommodated in a way that allows them to perform the essential duties of their job. However, adults with disabilities are often lacking in career development and are ill-prepared to negotiate workplace accommodations. This has led educators to seek workplaces that can accommodate the needs of adolescents with disabilities, so these adolescents can learn to negotiate accommodations and enhance their career development through work-based education. This paper reports on two case studies in which employers had agreed to accommodate the needs of adolescents with disabilities participating in work-based education. Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) framed the analyses of these two cases - a case of a student with physical disabilities and a case of a student with developmental disabilities. SCCT proves valuable in understanding the role of work-based education in the career development of disabled youth.

Making Work Fit Care: Reconciliation Strategies Used by Working Mothers of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Yueh-Ching; Fu, Li-yeh; Chang, Heng-Hao

2013-01-01

Background: This study explored the experiences of working mothers with an adult child with intellectual disabilities to understand how they reconcile paid work and care responsibilities. Methods: Fifteen working mothers in Taiwan with an adult child with intellectual disabilities were interviewed, and an interpretative phenomenological approach…

The predictive power of physical function assessed by questionnaire and physical performance measures for subsequent disability.

PubMed

Hoshi, Masayuki; Hozawa, Atsushi; Kuriyama, Shinichi; Nakaya, Naoki; Ohmori-Matsuda, Kaori; Sone, Toshimasa; Kakizaki, Masako; Niu, Kaijun; Fujita, Kazuki; Ueki, Shouzoh; Haga, Hiroshi; Nagatomi, Ryoichi; Tsuji, Ichiro

2012-08-01

To compare the predictive power of physical function assessed by questionnaire and physical performance measures for subsequent disability in community-dwelling elderly persons. Prospective cohort study. Participants were 813 aged 70 years and older, elderly Japanese residing in the community, included in the Tsurugaya Project, who were not disabled at the baseline in 2003. Physical function was assessed by the questionnaire of "Motor Fitness Scale". Physical performance measures consisted of maximum walking velocity, timed up and go test (TUG), leg extension power, and functional reach test. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve for disability was used to compare screening accuracy between Motor Fitness Scale and physical performance measures. Incident disability, defined as certification for long-term care insurance, was used as the endpoint. We observed 135 cases of incident disability during follow-up. The third or fourth quartile for each measure was associated with a significantly increased risk of disability in comparison with the highest quartile. The AUC was 0.70, 0.72, 0.70, 0.68, 0.69 and 0.74, for Motor Fitness Scale, maxi- mum walking velocity, TUG, leg extension power, functional reach test, and total performance score, respectively. The predictive power of physical function assessed by the Motor Fitness Scale was equivalent to that assessed by physical performance measures. Since Motor Fitness Scale can evaluate physical function safely and simply in comparison with physical performance tests, it would be a practical tool for screening persons at high risk of disability.

Able or unable to work? Life trajectory after severe occupational injury.

PubMed

Kulmala, Jarna; Luoma, Arto; Koskinen, Lasse

2018-04-24

To study the probabilities and permanence of return to work, inability to work and rehabilitation, and to explore the connection between these life situations and later working after a severe occupational injury. A historical cohort of Finnish workers with a severe occupational injury during 2008 (N = 11,585) were followed up annually on the outcomes of return to work over a 5-year observation period. We examined transition probabilities from one life situation to another with Markov chain analysis, and applied logistic regression with generalized estimating equations to assess the effect of register-based determinants on return to work. Within the five anniversaries, 85% of the injured were working, 9% were unable to work (fully or partly) and 2% received rehabilitation. Age, gross annual income, type of work, injured body part, injury type and the injured's annual condition subsequent to the work injury were significant determinants of return to work. The probability of return to work decreased with time, but, on average, one-fifth of the injured workers succeeded in return to work after being unable to work on the previous anniversary, which indicates that it is worthwhile to conduct efforts for this target group in order to promote return to work. Implications for Rehabilitation The current life situation of the injured should be taken into account when promoting return to work, as it is a strong predictor of later working after a serious occupational injury. Rehabilitation and return to work programs should start in time due to declining return to work rates as the disability continues. Return to work on a part-time basis could be a good option during the early phases of recovery, since a notable proportion of those partly unable to work on the first anniversary returned later to full-time workers. The probability of recovery is relatively high even for those with long-term disabilities, so the promotion of return to work is highly recommended also for this target group.

Unemployment and disability pension--an 18-year follow-up study of a 40-year-old population in a Norwegian county.

PubMed

Støver, Morten; Pape, Kristine; Johnsen, Roar; Fleten, Nils; Sund, Erik R; Claussen, Bjørgulf; Bjørngaard, Johan H

2012-02-28

This study explored the association of unemployment and an increased risk of receiving disability pension, and the possibility that this risk is attributed to municipality-specific characteristics. A cohort of 7,985 40-42 year olds was followed for 18 years in national registers, identifying new episodes of unemployment and cases of disability pension. The association between an unemployment period and disability pension in the subsequent year was estimated using discrete time multilevel logistic regressions and clustering individuals by municipality. The association between unemployment and disability pension was adjusted for age in the follow up-period, sex, baseline health status, health behaviour and education level. A conditional intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was estimated as a measure of inter-municipality variance. In the follow-up period, 2784 (35%) of the participants were granted disability pension. The crude odds ratio for receiving disability pension after unemployment (adjusted for age in follow-up period and sex only) was 1.42 (95% CI 1.1-1.8). Adjusting for baseline health indicators reduced the odds ratio of unemployment to 1.33 (CI 1.1-1.7). A fully adjusted model, including education level, further reduced the odds ratio of unemployment to 1.25 (CI 1.00-1.6). The ICC of the municipality level was approximately 2%. Becoming unemployed increased the risk of receiving subsequent disability pension. However, adjusting for baseline health status, health behaviour and education attenuated this impact considerably. The multilevel analysis indicated that a minor, yet statistically significant, proportion of the risk of disability pension can be attributed to the municipality of residence.

Unemployment and disability pension-an 18-year follow-up study of a 40-year-old population in a Norwegian county

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background This study explored the association of unemployment and an increased risk of receiving disability pension, and the possibility that this risk is attributed to municipality-specific characteristics. Methods A cohort of 7,985 40-42 year olds was followed for 18 years in national registers, identifying new episodes of unemployment and cases of disability pension. The association between an unemployment period and disability pension in the subsequent year was estimated using discrete time multilevel logistic regressions and clustering individuals by municipality. The association between unemployment and disability pension was adjusted for age in the follow up-period, sex, baseline health status, health behaviour and education level. A conditional intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was estimated as a measure of inter-municipality variance. Results In the follow-up period, 2784 (35%) of the participants were granted disability pension. The crude odds ratio for receiving disability pension after unemployment (adjusted for age in follow-up period and sex only) was 1.42 (95% CI 1.1-1.8). Adjusting for baseline health indicators reduced the odds ratio of unemployment to 1.33 (CI 1.1-1.7). A fully adjusted model, including education level, further reduced the odds ratio of unemployment to 1.25 (CI 1.00-1.6). The ICC of the municipality level was approximately 2%. Conclusions Becoming unemployed increased the risk of receiving subsequent disability pension. However, adjusting for baseline health status, health behaviour and education attenuated this impact considerably. The multilevel analysis indicated that a minor, yet statistically significant, proportion of the risk of disability pension can be attributed to the municipality of residence. PMID:22369630

Cumulative Expenditures under the DI, SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid Programs for a Cohort of Disabled Working-Age Adults

PubMed Central

Riley, Gerald F; Rupp, Kalman

2015-01-01

Objective To estimate cumulative DI, SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid expenditures from initial disability benefit award to death or age 65. Data Sources Administrative records for a cohort of new CY2000 DI and SSI awardees aged 18–64. Study Design Actual expenditures were obtained for 2000–2006/7. Subsequent expenditures were simulated using a regression-adjusted Markov process to assign individuals to annual disability benefit coverage states. Program expenditures were simulated conditional on assigned benefit coverage status. Estimates reflect present value of expenditures at initial award in 2000 and are expressed in constant 2012 dollars. Expenditure estimates were also updated to reflect benefit levels and characteristics of new awardees in 2012. Data Collection We matched records for a 10 percent nationally representative sample. Principal Findings Overall average cumulative expenditures are $292,401 through death or age 65, with 51.4 percent for cash benefits and 48.6 percent for health care. Expenditures are about twice the average for individuals first awarded benefits at age 18–30. Overall average expenditures increased by 10 percent when updated for a simulated 2012 cohort. Conclusions Data on cumulative expenditures, especially combined across programs, are useful for evaluating the long-term payoff of investments designed to modify entry to and exit from the disability rolls. PMID:25109322

What happens to the employment of disabled individuals when all financial disincentives to work are abolished?

PubMed

Vall Castelló, Judit

2017-09-01

Policymakers and organizations representing people with disabilities have highlighted the importance of promoting the employment prospects of disabled individuals as a determinant to ensure their broader integration into the society. Policy reforms that attempt to incentivise disabled individuals to work typically involve reduced financial punishments for earning above a predetermined threshold (substantial gainful activity). This paper exploits a Spanish reform that entirely eliminated any disincentives for disabled individuals to work. Partially disabled individuals in Spain are subject to income taxation in all regions except in the province of Bizkaia. Before 2007, partially disabled individuals in Bizkaia were exempt from income taxation if they did not work. In December 2006, a new law was passed in Bizkaia that distinguished between individuals aged 55 or younger, who were no longer tax-exempt, and those who were older than 55 years, who continued to be tax-exempt if they did not work. I exploit this change in the legislation and employ both a difference-in-difference strategy comparing the employment outcomes of disabled young men across provinces and time as well as a triple difference model with disabled men older than 55 years, who are unaffected by the policy. My results show that the reform increased the probability of working by 6.5 percentage points for disabled men aged 55 or younger. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

IQ and mental health are vital predictors of work drop out and early mortality. Multi-state analyses of Norwegian male conscripts

PubMed Central

Tveito, Torill H.; Reme, Silje E.; Eriksen, Hege R.

2017-01-01

Background Disability benefits and sick leave benefits represents huge costs in western countries. The pathways and prognostic factors for receiving these benefits seen in recent years are complex and manifold. We postulate that mental health and IQ, both alone and concurrent, influence subsequent employment status, disability benefits and mortality. Methods A cohort of 918 888 Norwegian men was followed for 16 years from the age of 20 to 55. Risk for health benefits, emigration, and mortality were studied. Indicators of mental health and IQ at military enrolment were used as potential risk factors. Multi-state models were used to analyze transitions between employment, sick leave, time limited benefits, disability benefits, emigration, and mortality. Results During follow up, there were a total of 3 908 397 transitions between employment and different health benefits, plus 12 607 deaths. Men with low IQ (below 85), without any mental health problems at military enrolment, had an increased probability of receiving disability benefits before the age of 35 (HRR = 4.06, 95% CI: 3.88–4.26) compared to men with average IQ (85 to 115) and no mental health problems. For men with both low IQ and mental health problems, there was an excessive probability of receiving disability benefits before the age of 35 (HRR = 14.37, 95% CI: 13.59–15.19), as well as an increased probability for time limited benefits and death before the age of 35 compared to men with average IQ (85 to 115) and no mental health problems. Conclusion Low IQ and mental health problems are strong predictors of future disability benefits and early mortality for young men. PMID:28683088

IQ and mental health are vital predictors of work drop out and early mortality. Multi-state analyses of Norwegian male conscripts.

PubMed

Lie, Stein Atle; Tveito, Torill H; Reme, Silje E; Eriksen, Hege R

2017-01-01

Disability benefits and sick leave benefits represents huge costs in western countries. The pathways and prognostic factors for receiving these benefits seen in recent years are complex and manifold. We postulate that mental health and IQ, both alone and concurrent, influence subsequent employment status, disability benefits and mortality. A cohort of 918 888 Norwegian men was followed for 16 years from the age of 20 to 55. Risk for health benefits, emigration, and mortality were studied. Indicators of mental health and IQ at military enrolment were used as potential risk factors. Multi-state models were used to analyze transitions between employment, sick leave, time limited benefits, disability benefits, emigration, and mortality. During follow up, there were a total of 3 908 397 transitions between employment and different health benefits, plus 12 607 deaths. Men with low IQ (below 85), without any mental health problems at military enrolment, had an increased probability of receiving disability benefits before the age of 35 (HRR = 4.06, 95% CI: 3.88-4.26) compared to men with average IQ (85 to 115) and no mental health problems. For men with both low IQ and mental health problems, there was an excessive probability of receiving disability benefits before the age of 35 (HRR = 14.37, 95% CI: 13.59-15.19), as well as an increased probability for time limited benefits and death before the age of 35 compared to men with average IQ (85 to 115) and no mental health problems. Low IQ and mental health problems are strong predictors of future disability benefits and early mortality for young men.

Comparing the Relationship Between Age and Length of Disability Across Common Chronic Conditions

PubMed Central

Jetha, Arif; Besen, Elyssa; Smith, Peter M.

2016-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the association between age and disability length across common chronic conditions. Methods: Analysis of 39,915 nonwork-related disability claims with a diagnosis of arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, depression, low back pain, chronic pulmonary disease, or cancer. Ordinary least squares regression models examined age-length of disability association across chronic conditions. Results: Arthritis (76.6 days), depression (63.2 days), and cancer (64.9 days) were associated with longest mean disability lengths; hypertension was related to shortest disability lengths (41.5 days). Across chronic conditions, older age was significantly associated with longer work disability. The age–length of disability association was most significant for chronic pulmonary disease and cancer. The relationship between age and length of work disability was linear among most chronic conditions. Conclusions: Work disability prevention strategies should consider both employee age and chronic condition diagnosis. PMID:27164446

Community Work Development: A Marketing Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Como, Perry; Hagner, David

This manual is concerned with developing community-based work for persons with disabilities, particularly disabled workers in segregated settings and individuals who are considered not yet ready for or capable of work. The first part of the publication deals with the following topics: the concepts of community, work, and severe disabilities; the…

New Business Structures Creating Organizational Opportunities and Challenges for Work Disability Prevention.

PubMed

Ekberg, Kerstin; Pransky, Glenn S; Besen, Elyssa; Fassier, Jean-Baptise; Feuerstein, Michael; Munir, Fehmidah; Blanck, Peter

2016-12-01

Purpose Flexible work arrangements are growing in order to develop resource-efficient production and because of advanced technologies, new societal values, changing demographics, and globalization. The article aims to illustrate the emerging challenges and opportunities for work disability prevention efforts among workers in alternate work arrangements. Methods The authors participated in a year-long collaboration that ultimately led to an invited 3-day conference, "Improving Research of Employer Practices to Prevent Disability," held October 14-16, 2015, in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, USA. The collaboration included a topical review of the literature, group conference calls to identify key areas and challenges, drafting of initial documents, review of industry publications, and a conference presentation that included feedback from peer researchers and a roundtable discussion with experts having direct employer experience. Results Both worker and employer perspectives were considered, and four common alternate work arrangements were identified: (a) temporary and contingent employment; (b) small workplaces; (c) virtual work/telework; and (d) lone workers. There was sparse available research of return-to-work (RTW) and workplace disability management strategies with regard to alternate work patterns. Limited research findings and a review of the grey literature suggested that regulations and guidelines concerning disabled workers are often ambiguous, leading to unsatisfactory protection. At the workplace level, there was a lack of research evidence on how flexible work arrangements could be handled or leveraged to support RTW and prevent disability. Potential negative consequences of this lack of organizational guidance and information are higher costs for employers and insurers and feelings of job insecurity, lack of social support and integration, or work intensification for disabled workers. Conclusions Future studies of RTW and workplace disability prevention strategies should be designed to reflect the multiple work patterns that currently exist across many working populations, and in particular, flexible work arrangements should be explored in more detail as a possible mechanism for preventing disability. Labor laws and policies need to be developed to fit flexible work arrangements.

Work Disability Among Native-born and Foreign-born Americans: On Origins, Health, and Social Safety Nets.

PubMed

Engelman, Michal; Kestenbaum, Bert M; Zuelsdorff, Megan L; Mehta, Neil K; Lauderdale, Diane S

2017-12-01

Public debates about both immigration policy and social safety net programs are increasingly contentious. However, little research has explored differences in health within America's diverse population of foreign-born workers, and the effect of these workers on public benefit programs is not well understood. We investigate differences in work disability by nativity and origins and describe the mix of health problems associated with receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Our analysis draws on two large national data sources-the American Community Survey and comprehensive administrative records from the Social Security Administration-to determine the prevalence and incidence of work disability between 2001 and 2010. In sharp contrast to prior research, we find that foreign-born adults are substantially less likely than native-born Americans to report work disability, to be insured for work disability benefits, and to apply for those benefits. Overall and across origins, the foreign-born also have a lower incidence of disability benefit award. Persons from Africa, Northern Europe, Canada, and parts of Asia have the lowest work disability benefit prevalence rates among the foreign-born; persons from Southern Europe, Western Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the Caribbean have the highest rates.

'It's in the blood and you're not going to change it': fish harvesters' narrative accounts of injuries and disability.

PubMed

Murray, Michael

2007-01-01

Accidents are a common occurrence in the fishing industry. Despite this observation, there has been limited research on the factors contributing to this high rate of accidents and no research on the experience of disability among fish harvesters. This paper reports a narrative analysis of the accounts of fish harvesters who became disabled as a result of their work, and could no longer work in the industry. Four primary narrative structures were identified in their accounts: disability as devastation, disability as challenge, disability as phenomenon and disability as opportunity. These narratives represent different temporal orientations to the disability. The findings are discussed with reference to other narrative work on adjustment to illness and the implications for disability rehabilitation for fish harvesters and other workers.

Disability pension and everyday life: a period of transition and subjective aspects of future occupational life.

PubMed

Johansson, Annica E M; Johansson, Ulla

2011-01-01

The purpose was to explore and describe the everyday life experiences among people with a disability pension and their expectations for future occupational life. A purposeful sample of 14 men and women were interviewed. Of these, ten people received full-time disability pension and four people were on partial disability pension while working part time. A content analysis approach revealed three themes: strategies for handling a changed life situation, adaptations to remaining functional capacity, and expectations on future occupational life. Initially, leaving the work market entailed a period of emotional discomfort. To help handle this discomfort, structures for participation and performance came to signify a balanced everyday life. The central conclusion drawn is that the informants with full-time disability pension reconciled themselves to their situation, changing their conception of what life on a disability pension means, while those informants who worked part-time saw their future role as that of worker. Thus, being employed constitutes one factor that promotes a future work career. Another factor related to work capacity is the need for balance between paid work and domestic work reported by disability pensioners working part-time. This area could serve as a point of departure for work rehabilitation.

Telework for persons with disabilities in the E.U. and the U.S.A: what can we learn from each other?

PubMed

Schopp, Laura H

2004-01-01

Persons with disabilities represent a growing population in both the European Union (EU) and the United States (USA). The ability to work is a key component in achieving independence and full inclusion in society, and employability is increasingly seen as an important outcome variable for studies in health and disability. However, persons with disabilities face considerable challenges in returning to work due to barriers related to transportation, job changes after disability, lack of support services in the workplace, and related barriers. Telework, or work from a distance, may help to mitigate these obstacles, while expanding the range of work options available for persons with disabilities. The EU has made substantial policy progress to support telework, but persons with disabilities have had only limited long-term success in telework initiatives due to lack of work support services. The USA has generally strong support services but lacks telework policy infrastructure. The EU and the USA can benefit from collaborative work to enhance their complementary strengths.

Section 619 Profile. 17th Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazara, Alex; Danaher, Joan; Kraus, Robert; Goode, Sue; Hipps, Cherie; Festa, Cathy

2010-01-01

With the passage of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and subsequent amendments, states and jurisdictions have made great strides in the provision of services to young children, ages 3 through 5 years, with disabilities. As of Fall 2007, America's…

Section 619 Profile, 18th Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazara, Alex, Ed.; Danaher, Joan, Ed.; Kraus, Robert, Ed.; Goode, Sue, Ed.; Hipps, Cherie, Ed.; Festa, Cathy, Ed.

2011-01-01

With the passage of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and subsequent amendments, states and jurisdictions have made great strides in the provision of services to young children, ages 3 through 5 years, with disabilities. As of Fall 2009, America's…

Section 619 Profile. 16th Edition. Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazara, Alex; Danaher, Joan; Kraus, Robert; Goode, Sue

2009-01-01

With the passage of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and subsequent amendments, states and jurisdictions have made great strides in the provision of services to young children, ages 3 through 5 years, with disabilities. As of Fall 2007, America's…

Inclusion, Curriculum and the Rights of the Child

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurray, Sharon; Thompson, Ross

2016-01-01

In 1989, The Centre for Studies in Inclusive Education (CSIE) published its inclusion charter which was subsequently revised in 2002. This charter sought an end to all segregated education on the grounds of disability or learning difficulty. The vision was that all children would be educated in mainstream classrooms with benefits for disabled and…

78 FR 24395 - Applications for New Awards; Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-25

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Applications for New Awards; Training and Information for Parents of... applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2013. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84... Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)). Absolute Priority: For FY 2013 and any subsequent year in...

20 CFR 404.252 - Subsequent entitlement to benefits 12 months or more after entitlement to disability benefits ended.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Computing... situation, we compute your second-entitlement primary insurance amount by selecting the higher of the following: (a) New primary insurance amount. The primary insurance amount computed as of the time of your...

Brief Functional Analysis and Supplemental Feeding for Postmeal Rumination in Children with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyons, Elizabeth A.; Rue, Hanna C.; Luiselli, James K.; DiGennaro, Florence D.

2007-01-01

Rumination is a serious problem demonstrated by some people with developmental disabilities, but previous research has not included a functional analysis and has rarely compared intervention methods during the assessment process. We conducted functional analyses with 2 children who displayed postmeal rumination and subsequently evaluated a…

Effects of disability compensation on participation in and outcomes of vocational rehabilitation.

PubMed

Drew, D; Drebing, C E; Van Ormer, A; Losardo, M; Krebs, C; Penk, W; Rosenheck, R A

2001-11-01

The authors sought to determine the relationship between receipt of disability compensation and participants' success in a vocational rehabilitation program. Administrative data for 22,515 individuals who participated in the Veterans Health Administration compensated work therapy program between 1993 and 1998 were analyzed. Six dependent variables were compared between participants who were receiving disability compensation and those who were not: duration of participation in compensated work therapy, number of hours worked per week, mean hourly earnings, total income from compensated work therapy, dropout rate, and competitive employment status at discharge. Regression equations were determined for each dependent variable to assess associations with the degree of disability, the amount of disability compensation, and the type of compensation program. Participants who were receiving disability benefits worked fewer hours in compensated work therapy each week, earned less income, had a higher dropout rate, and were less likely to be competitively employed at discharge. The amount of compensation and the type of program were modestly but significantly associated with participation in compensated work therapy and with outcome. Unintended effects of disability compensation programs discourage full participation in vocational rehabilitation and result in poorer rehabilitation outcomes.

20 CFR 220.170 - The trial work period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... period during which the annuitant may test his or her ability to work and still be considered disabled... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2014-04-01 2012-04-01 true The trial work period. 220.170 Section 220.170... DISABILITY Trial Work Period and Reentitlement Period for Annuitants Disabled for Any Regular Employment...

Risk factors for respiratory work disability in a cohort of pulp mill workers exposed to irritant gases

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The association between chronic respiratory diseases and work disability has been demonstrated a number of times over the past 20 years, but still little is known about work disability in occupational cohorts of workers exposed to respiratory irritants. This study investigated job or task changes due to respiratory problems as an indicator of work disability in pulp mill workers occupationally exposed to irritants. Methods Data about respiratory symptoms and disease diagnoses, socio-demographic variables, occupational exposures, gassing episodes, and reported work changes due to respiratory problems were collected using a questionnaire answered by 3226 pulp mill workers. Information about work history and departments was obtained from personnel files. Incidence and hazard ratios for respiratory work disability were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results The incidence of respiratory work disability among these pulp mill workers was 1.6/1000 person-years. The hazard ratios for respiratory work disability were increased for workers reporting gassings (HR 5.3, 95% CI 2.7-10.5) and for those reporting physician-diagnosed asthma, chronic bronchitis, and chronic rhinitis, when analyzed in the same model. Conclusions This cohort study of pulp mill workers found that irritant peak exposure during gassing episodes was a strong predictor of changing work due to respiratory problems, even after adjustment for asthma, chronic bronchitis, and chronic rhinitis. PMID:21896193

Work-system risk factors for permanent work disability among home-care workers: a case-control study.

PubMed

Dellve, Lotta; Lagerström, Monica; Hagberg, Mats

2003-04-01

There is a growing need for home-care services in western societies. As home-care workers show high levels of absence related to poor health it is important that we broaden our knowledge about what factors in the work system contribute to this. The aim of this study was to explore and estimate the impact of the work system on permanent work disability and its relative importance compared with home-life risks among home-care workers. The cases (617 subjects) were all home-care workers in Sweden, whose disability pension was approved in 1997 or 1998. The controls (771 subjects) were home-care workers still working. We used a questionnaire to gain situation-specific information on working life and home life 5 and 15 years before disability pension entitlement. The most important risk factors in the work system were poor ergonomic/lifting conditions, time pressure and lack of professional caring technique. Fifteen years prior to disability pension entitlement, insufficient management (odds ratio (OR) 95%, CI 2.6[1.6;4.2]) and relational problems at work were also risk factors. Five years before disability pension entitlement, poor organisational support (4.1 [2.5;6.7]), opportunities for co-working and working climate (3.5 [2.4;5.2]) were also strongly related to a persisting work ability. The magnitude of exposure to a number of risk factors had an increased effect (highest 13.8 [5.6-33.8]). The strongest risk factor in home life was little opportunity to rest from work (4.9 [3.0;8.0]). The risk factors in working life were robust to the inclusion of the grouped risk factors of home life. The conclusion was that risk factors related to the work system are, alone, strongly related to permanent work disability among home-care workers. Also, exposure to several of the risk factors constitutes a notably strong risk for permanent work disability.

Social Security disability beneficiaries with work-related goals and expectations.

PubMed

Livermore, Gina A

2011-01-01

This study examines working-age Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries who report having work goals or expectations, referring to these individuals as "work-oriented." The study uses data from the 2004 National Beneficiary Survey matched to administrative data spanning 2004-2007 to identify work-oriented beneficiaries and to analyze their sociodemographic, health, and employment characteristics, as well as their earnings-related benefit suspensions and terminations. Relative to other disability beneficiaries, the 40 percent classified as work-oriented were younger and more educated, had been on the disability rolls a shorter time, had lower income from public assistance, and were healthier. Just over half had recently engaged in work or in work preparation activities at interview, about half had earnings at some point during 2004-2007, and 10 percent left the disability rolls because of earnings for at least 1 month during that period. The findings show that a large share of beneficiaries have work goals, most are attempting to work, and many experience some success.

Patient Satisfaction, Treatment Experience, and Disability Outcomes in a Population-Based Cohort of Injured Workers in Washington State: Implications for Quality Improvement

PubMed Central

Wickizer, Thomas M; Franklin, Gary; Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah; Turner, Judith A; Mootz, Robert; Smith-Weller, Terri

2004-01-01

Objective To determine what aspects of patient satisfaction are most important in explaining the variance in patients' overall treatment experience and to evaluate the relationship between treatment experience and subsequent outcomes. Data Sources and Setting Data from a population-based survey of 804 randomly selected injured workers in Washington State filing a workers' compensation claim between November 1999 and February 2000 were combined with insurance claims data indicating whether survey respondents were receiving disability compensation payments for being out of work at 6 or 12 months after claim filing. Study Design We conducted a two-step analysis. In the first step, we tested a multiple linear regression model to assess the relationship of satisfaction measures to patients' overall treatment experience. In the second step, we used logistic regression to assess the relationship of treatment experience to subsequent outcomes. Principal Findings Among injured workers who had ongoing follow-up care after their initial treatment (n=681), satisfaction with interpersonal and technical aspects of care and with care coordination was strongly and positively associated with overall treatment experience (p<0.001). As a group, the satisfaction measures explained 38 percent of the variance in treatment experience after controlling for demographics, satisfaction with medical care prior to injury, job satisfaction, type of injury, and provider type. Injured workers who reported less-favorable treatment experience were 3.54 times as likely (95 percent confidence interval, 1.20–10.95, p=.021) to be receiving time-loss compensation for inability to work due to injury 6 or 12 months after filing a claim, compared to patients whose treatment experience was more positive. PMID:15230925

The incompetent developmentally disabled person's right of self-determination: right-to-die, sterilization and institutionalization.

PubMed

Krais, W A

1989-01-01

The developmentally disabled, specifically those mentally incompetent from birth, are entitled to a full panoply of constitutional rights and protections. These rights include the right to terminate life-sustaining treatment, the right of procreative integrity and the right not to be involuntarily institutionalized. However, the mentally incompetent developmentally disabled are generally unable to exercise these rights. This Note asserts first that proper procedural safeguards are necessary to guarantee the exercise of these constitutional rights by the incompetent disabled individual. Second, the Note focuses upon how best to preserve the disabled person's autonomy. The Note subsequently rejects the substituted judgment standard as a legal fiction, and endorses the best interest test which necessarily comports with the evidence, and properly accounts for the disabled person's incompetency.

When work and satisfaction with life do not go hand in hand: health barriers and personal resources in the participation of people with chronic physical disabilities.

PubMed

van Campen, Cretien; Cardol, Mieke

2009-07-01

People with chronic physical disabilities participate less in both paid and voluntary work and are less satisfied with their lives than people without health problems. Governments and scientists have suggested that participation in employment is the main road to well-being. We analysed national survey data on the participation in work and satisfaction with life, comparing people with a chronic illness and a physical disability (n=603) to people with a chronic illness but without a physical disability (n=1199) and the general population (n=6128) in the Netherlands. The results show that the relationship between happiness and work is different for people with a chronic illness and a physical disability, as compared to the other two populations. Fewer people with a chronic illness and disability were categorized as 'satisfied people with work' (i.e. participating in work and satisfied with their life), while most people belonged to a group of 'satisfied people without work' and, surprisingly, not to the expected group of 'dissatisfied people without work'. In order to explain this exceptional distribution we modelled satisfied participation in work as an outcome of a balance between personal resources and barriers. By means of discriminant regression analysis, we identified the severity of motor disability as the main barrier, and education level and age, as the main resource factors that distinguish between 'satisfied people with work' and others among the group of people with a chronic illness and a physical disability.

Long-term work disability and absenteeism in anxiety and depressive disorders.

PubMed

Hendriks, Sanne M; Spijker, Jan; Licht, Carmilla M M; Hardeveld, Florian; de Graaf, Ron; Batelaan, Neeltje M; Penninx, Brenda W J H; Beekman, Aartjan T F

2015-06-01

This longitudinal study aims to compare long-term work disability and absenteeism between anxiety and depressive disorders focusing on the effects of different course trajectories (remission, recurrence and chronic course) and specific symptom dimensions (anxiety arousal, avoidance behaviour and depressive mood). We included healthy controls, subjects with a history of - and current anxiety and/or depressive disorders with a paid job (n=1632). The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to diagnose anxiety and depressive disorders and to assess course trajectories at baseline, over 2 and 4 years. The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II and the Health and Labour Questionnaire Short Form were used to measure work disability and absenteeism. Symptom dimensions were measured using the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Fear Questionnaire and the Inventory for Depressive Symptomatology. A history of - and current anxiety and/or depressive disorders were associated with increasing work disability and absenteeism over 4 years, compared to healthy controls. Long-term work disability and absenteeism were most prominent in comorbid anxiety-depressive disorder, followed by depressive disorders, and lowest in anxiety disorders. A chronic course, anxiety arousal and depressive mood were strong predictors for long-term work disability while baseline psychiatric status, a chronic course and depressive mood were strong predictors for long-term work absenteeism. Results cannot be generalized to other anxiety disorders, such as obsessive compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and specific phobias. Self-reported measures of work disability and absenteeism were used. Our results demonstrate that depressive syndromes and symptoms have more impact on future work disability and absenteeism than anxiety, implying that prevention of depression is of major importance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Register-based data of psychosocial working conditions and occupational groups as predictors of disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses: a prospective cohort study of 24 543 Swedish twins

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Occupations and psychosocial working conditions have rarely been investigated as predictors of disability pension in population-based samples. This study investigated how occupational groups and psychosocial working conditions are associated with future disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses, accounting for familial factors in the associations. Methods A sample of 24 543 same-sex Swedish twin individuals was followed from 1993 to 2008 using nationwide registries. Baseline data on occupations were categorized into eight sector-defined occupational groups. These were further used to reflect psychosocial working conditions by applying the job strain scores of a Job Exposure Matrix. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HR) were estimated. Results During the 12-year (average) follow-up, 7% of the sample was granted disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. Workers in health care and social work; agriculture, forestry and fishing; transportation; production and mining; and the service and military work sectors were two to three times more likely to receive a disability pension than those in the administration and management sector. Each single unit decrease in job demands and each single unit increase in job control and social support significantly predicted disability pension. Individuals with high work strain or an active job had a lower hazard ratio of disability pension, whereas a passive job predicted a significantly higher hazard ratio. Accounting for familial confounding did not alter these results. Conclusion Occupational groups and psychosocial working conditions seem to be independent of familial confounding, and hence represent risk factors for disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. This means that preventive measures in these sector-defined occupational groups and specific psychosocial working conditions might prevent disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. PMID:24040914

Register-based data of psychosocial working conditions and occupational groups as predictors of disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses: a prospective cohort study of 24,543 Swedish twins.

PubMed

Ropponen, Annina; Samuelsson, Åsa; Alexanderson, Kristina; Svedberg, Pia

2013-09-16

Occupations and psychosocial working conditions have rarely been investigated as predictors of disability pension in population-based samples. This study investigated how occupational groups and psychosocial working conditions are associated with future disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses, accounting for familial factors in the associations. A sample of 24,543 same-sex Swedish twin individuals was followed from 1993 to 2008 using nationwide registries. Baseline data on occupations were categorized into eight sector-defined occupational groups. These were further used to reflect psychosocial working conditions by applying the job strain scores of a Job Exposure Matrix. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HR) were estimated. During the 12-year (average) follow-up, 7% of the sample was granted disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. Workers in health care and social work; agriculture, forestry and fishing; transportation; production and mining; and the service and military work sectors were two to three times more likely to receive a disability pension than those in the administration and management sector. Each single unit decrease in job demands and each single unit increase in job control and social support significantly predicted disability pension. Individuals with high work strain or an active job had a lower hazard ratio of disability pension, whereas a passive job predicted a significantly higher hazard ratio. Accounting for familial confounding did not alter these results. Occupational groups and psychosocial working conditions seem to be independent of familial confounding, and hence represent risk factors for disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. This means that preventive measures in these sector-defined occupational groups and specific psychosocial working conditions might prevent disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses.

Occupation, work environment, and disability pension: a prospective study of construction workers.

PubMed

Stattin, Mikael; Järvholm, Bengt

2005-01-01

This study investigated the importance of occupation and work environment for the risk of disability pension among construction workers in Sweden. The data include around 389,000 construction workers who participated in health examinations from 1971 to 1992. During that period 68,000 participants received disability pension in some form. Between 1985 and 1992 questionnaires were used to collect data regarding hazards in the work environment. Some 87,000 participants answered that questionnaire, and almost 6,000 of these were in receipt of a disability pension. To analyse the risk of disability pension in different occupations, incidence rates (SIR) were calculated according to the person-year method. Logistic regression was used to calculate age-controlled odds ratios according to physical and psychosocial work environment factors. The results show considerable variation in risk for disability pension between different occupations within the construction industry. Furthermore, analysis of work environment factors indicated associations with physical, ergonomic, and psychosocial work environment factors. A considerable variation between occupations indicates that characteristics in the work situation are important when explaining the risk of disability pension. The results from this study indicate that improvements in working conditions are an important area of intervention in order to facilitate and prolong labour market participation among elderly people.

The ICD Survey II: Employing Disabled Americans. A Nationwide Survey of 920 Employers. Study No. 864009.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council on the Handicapped, Washington, DC.

A survey explored what 921 managers nationwide are doing to employ disabled people and return disabled employees to work. It identified barriers that prevent employers from hiring disabled people and steps public and private sectors could take to increase their employment. Employers gave their disabled employees high marks as hard working,…

Is part-time work a good or bad opportunity for people with disabilities? A European analysis.

PubMed

Pagán, Ricardo

2007-12-30

The purpose of this article is to analyse the incidence of part-time employment among people with disabilities within a European context. Particular attention is paid to the type of part-time employment (voluntary vs. involuntary) and the levels of job satisfaction that people with disabilities report. Using data from the European Community Household Panel for the period 1995-2001, we estimate part-time rates, preferences and levels of job satisfaction for people with and without disabilities for 13 European countries. The results show that a higher number of people with disabilities work part-time, compared to non-disabled workers. This is mainly due to disabled part-time workers having a much higher preference for part-time working than people without disability. This finding is corroborated when we analyse the levels of job satisfaction for disabled part-time workers. Part-time employment becomes a relevant instrument for policy makers and employers to improve the social inclusion, income and labour conditions of the people with disabilities because it allows these people to achieve a much better balance between their personal and health needs and working life.

Level of functioning, perceived work ability, and work status among psychiatric patients with major mental disorders.

PubMed

Karpov, B; Joffe, G; Aaltonen, K; Suvisaari, J; Baryshnikov, I; Näätänen, P; Koivisto, M; Melartin, T; Oksanen, J; Suominen, K; Heikkinen, M; Isometsä, E

2017-07-01

Major mental disorders are highly disabling conditions that result in substantial socioeconomic burden. Subjective and objective measures of functioning or ability to work, their concordance, or risk factors for them may differ between disorders. Self-reported level of functioning, perceived work ability, and current work status were evaluated among psychiatric care patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (SSA, n=113), bipolar disorder (BD, n=99), or depressive disorder (DD, n=188) within the Helsinki University Psychiatric Consortium Study. Correlates of functional impairment, subjective work disability, and occupational status were investigated using regression analysis. DD patients reported the highest and SSA patients the lowest perceived functional impairment. Depressive symptoms in all diagnostic groups and anxiety in SSA and BD groups were significantly associated with disability. Only 5.3% of SSA patients versus 29.3% or 33.0% of BD or DD patients, respectively, were currently working. About half of all patients reported subjective work disability. Objective work status and perceived disability correlated strongly among BD and DD patients, but not among SSA patients. Work status was associated with number of hospitalizations, and perceived work disability with current depressive symptoms. Psychiatric care patients commonly end up outside the labour force. However, while among patients with mood disorders objective and subjective indicators of ability to work are largely concordant, among those with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder they are commonly contradictory. Among all groups, perceived functional impairment and work disability are coloured by current depressive symptoms, but objective work status reflects illness course, particularly preceding psychiatric hospitalizations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Progressive and Accelerated Disability Onset by Race/Ethnicity and Education among Late Midlife and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Latham, Kenzie

2012-01-01

Objectives This study explores the pace of severe disability onset with an emphasis on the role of race/ethnicity and education. More specifically, this research examines whether race/ethnicity and educational attainment are independent predictors of progressive and accelerated disability onset. Methods Using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) Waves 2–10 (1994–2010), a series of discrete-time Cox proportional hazards models with multiple competing events were created to ascertain whether respondents developed progressive or accelerated disability in subsequent waves. Results Black and Hispanic respondents were at an increased risk of developing progressive disability. Respondents without a high school degree were more likely to experience progressive or accelerated disability. Discussion Low educational attainment was a particularly strong predictor of accelerated disability onset and may represent an acute lack of resources over the life course. Race and ethnicity were important predictors of progressive disability onset, which may reflect racial/ethnic variations in the disabling process. PMID:22982972

Experiences of work among people with disabilities who are HIV-positive in Zambia.

PubMed

Njelesani, Janet; Nixon, Stephanie; Cameron, Deb; Parsons, Janet; Menon, Anitha

2015-01-01

This paper focuses on accounts of how having a disability and being HIV-positive influences experiences of work among 21 people (12 women, 9 men) in Lusaka, Zambia. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in English, Bemba, Nyanja, or Zambian sign language. Descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted. Three major themes were generated. The first, a triple burden, describes the burden of having a disability, being HIV-positive, and being unemployed. The second theme, disability and HIV is not inability, describes participants' desire for work and their resistance to being regarded as objects of charity. Finally, how work influences HIV management, describes the practicalities of working and living with HIV. Together these themes highlight the limited options available to persons with disabilities with HIV in Lusaka, not only secondary to the effects of HIV influencing their physical capacity to work, but also because of the attendant social stigma of being a person with a disability and HIV-positive.

Nurses with sensory disabilities: their perceptions and characteristics.

PubMed

Neal-Boylan, Leslie; Fennie, Kristopher; Baldauf-Wagner, Sara

2011-01-01

A survey design was used to explore the perceptions and characteristics of registered nurses (RNs) with sensory disabilities and their risk for leaving their jobs. An earlier study found that nurses with disabilities are leaving nursing and that employers do not appear to support these nurses. Work instability and the mismatch between a nurse's perceptions of his or her ability and the demands of their work increase risk for job retention problems. This study's convenience sample of U.S. RNs had hearing, vision, or communication disabilities. Participants completed a demographic form, three U.S. Census questions, and the Nurse-Work Instability Survey. Hospital nurses were three times more likely to be at risk for retention problems. Nurses with hearing disabilities were frustrated at work. Hearing difficulties increased with years spent working as a nurse. Many nurses with sensory disabilities have left nursing. Early intervention may prevent work instability and increase retention, and rehabilitation nurses are ideally positioned to lead early intervention programs.

Everyday memory and working memory in adolescents with mild intellectual disability.

PubMed

Van der Molen, M J; Van Luit, J E H; Van der Molen, Maurits W; Jongmans, Marian J

2010-05-01

Everyday memory and its relationship to working memory was investigated in adolescents with mild intellectual disability and compared to typically developing adolescents of the same age (CA) and younger children matched on mental age (MA). Results showed a delay on almost all memory measures for the adolescents with mild intellectual disability compared to the CA control adolescents. Compared to the MA control children, the adolescents with mild intellectual disability performed less well on a general everyday memory index. Only some significant associations were found between everyday memory and working memory for the mild intellectual disability group. These findings were interpreted to suggest that adolescents with mild intellectual disability have difficulty in making optimal use of their working memory when new or complex situations tax their abilities.

Work, Disability and Rehabilitation. Papers on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of People with Disabilities presented at the European Conference on Research in Rehabilitation (1st, Edinburgh, Scotland, April 6-8, 1983).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornes, Paul, Ed.; Hunter, John, Ed.

Fifteen author-contributed papers are presented from the 1983 First European Conference on Research in Rehabilitation. The following titles and authors are represented: "Disability in a Large Public Sector Work Force" (D. Walker); "The Accidents and Absence of Disabled People at Work" (M. Kettle); "Employment…

[The consequences of stroke for the artist Lovis Corinth].

PubMed

Bäzner, H; Hennerici, M G

2006-09-01

The artist Lovis Corinth suffered a right-hemispheric stroke at the age of 53 years but only died 14 years later. The huge amount of work he produced after this life threatening disease allows detailed analysis of his post-stroke artwork in comparison to pre-stroke. When performing this analysis as a neurologist, an enormous diversity of subtle stroke sequelae can be discovered that are mostly explained by left-sided hemi-neglect. These findings clearly go far beyond pure psychological processes. Moreover, Corinth is a motivating example for disabled patients because he was able to produce great artwork after his stroke. He was struggling against a motor disability admittedly not severely affecting his artistic production, but also against severe neuropsychological deficits that did have clear consequences. Lovis Corinth left us the credo "True art means to use unreality". Taken together with the often cited phrase "Drawing means to leave out (details)", a clear-cut interpretation for neurologists can be derived from the understanding of right-hemisphere lesions and subsequent left-sided neglect.

A health system program to reduce work disability related to musculoskeletal disorders.

PubMed

Abásolo, Lydia; Blanco, Margarita; Bachiller, Javier; Candelas, Gloria; Collado, Paz; Lajas, Cristina; Revenga, Marcelino; Ricci, Patricia; Lázaro, Pablo; Aguilar, Maria Dolores; Vargas, Emilio; Fernández-Gutiérrez, Benjamín; Hernández-García, César; Carmona, Loreto; Jover, Juan A

2005-09-20

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a frequent cause of work disability, accounting for productivity losses in industrialized societies equivalent to 1.3% of the U.S. gross national product. To evaluate whether a population-based clinical program offered to patients with recent-onset work disability caused by MSDs is cost-effective. Randomized, controlled intervention study. The inclusion and follow-up periods each lasted 12 months. Three health districts in Madrid, Spain. All patients with MSD-related temporary work disability in 1998 and 1999. The control group received standard primary care management, with referral to specialized care if needed. The intervention group received a specific program, administered by rheumatologists, in which care was delivered during regular visits and included 3 main elements: education, protocol-based clinical management, and administrative duties. Efficacy variables were 1) days of temporary work disability and 2) number of patients with permanent work disability. All analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. 1,077 patients were included in the study, 7805 in the control group and 5272 in the intervention group, generating 16,297 episodes of MSD-related temporary work disability. These episodes were shorter in the intervention group than in the control group (mean, 26 days compared with 41 days; P < 0.001), and the groups had similar numbers of episodes per patient. Fewer patients received long-term disability compensation in the intervention group (n = 38 [0.7%]) than in the control group (n = 99 [1.3%]) (P < 0.005). Direct and indirect costs were lower in the intervention group than in the control group. To save 1 day of temporary work disability, 6.00 dollars had to be invested in the program. Each dollar invested generated a benefit of 11.00 dollars. The program's net benefit was in excess of 5 million dollars. The study was unblinded. Implementation of the program, offered to the general population, improves short- and long-term work disability outcomes and is cost-effective.

Working with the disabled patient: exploring student nurses views for curriculum development using a SWOT analysis.

PubMed

Willis, Diane S; Thurston, Mhairi

2015-02-01

Increased longevity will mean an increase in people presenting with cognitive and physical disabilities, such as sight loss or dementia. The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 states that health care should be patient-focussed, taking into account patient needs. This will necessitate nursing curricula to reflect the needs of people who have disabilities and equip the future workforce with knowledge and skills to provide appropriate care. This study explores student nurses' strengths and weakness when working with people with disabilities and identifies opportunities and threats to developing their knowledge and skills to meet the needs of this population. As part of a study day, students from the year one Nursing programme were asked to take part in a SWOT analysis and post comments under the categories: strengths, weakness, opportunity and threats on a central wall about working with people with disabilities. Students acknowledged some of the challenges of being disabled especially in a health setting but also believed they were developing their skills to provide holistic care that ensured autonomy. Communication was viewed as both a strength and weakness and was identified as an essential skill to working effectively with people who had a disability. Students acknowledged that clinical staff were not always experts in working with people who were disabled and welcomed the opportunity to work with experts and clients as well as being directed to resources to increase their knowledge. Integration of disability into the nursing curriculum is needed to ensure students have awareness of and the confidence to work effectively with people who have a range of cognitive and physical disabilities alongside other medical problems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time allocation of disabled individuals.

PubMed

Pagán, Ricardo

2013-05-01

Although some studies have analysed the disability phenomenon and its effect on, for example, labour force participation, wages, job satisfaction, or the use of disability pension, the empirical evidence on how disability steals time (e.g. hours of work) from individuals is very scarce. This article examines how disabled individuals allocate their time to daily activities as compared to their non-disabled counterparts. Using time diary information from the Spanish Time Use Survey (last quarter of 2002 and the first three quarters of 2003), we estimate the determinants of time (minutes per day) spent on four aggregate categories (market work, household production, tertiary activities and leisure) for a sample of 27,687 non-disabled and 5250 disabled individuals and decompose the observed time differential by using the Oaxaca-Blinder methodology. The results show that disabled individuals devote less time to market work (especially females), and more time to household production (e.g. cooking, cleaning, child care), tertiary activities (e.g., sleeping, personal care, medical treatment) and leisure activities. We also find a significant effect of age on the time spent on daily activities and important differences by gender and disability status. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that disability steals time, and reiterate the fact that more public policies are needed to balance working life and health concerns among disabled individuals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Work Shifts and Disability: A National View.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Presser, Harriet B.; Altman, Barbara

2002-01-01

More than one-fifth of employed persons with disabilities work late or rotating shifts, about the same as nondisabled workers. Day workers with disabilities receive lower hourly wages than nondisabled workers. Except for men, nonday workers with disabilities receive wages similar to their nondisabled counterparts. (Contains 27 references.)…

Work, Disability, and the Future: Promoting Employment for People with Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roessler, Richard T.

1987-01-01

Statistical data on unemployment emphasize problems experienced by people with disabilities in seeking work. Advocates changes in public policies, institutional practices, rehabilitation practices, and employer benefits to ensure people with disabilities a share in the prosperity anticipated in view of brighter economic prospects. (Author/KS)

Work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation among jobseekers: a community-level investigation using multidimensional work ability assessments

PubMed Central

Kerätär, Raija; Taanila, Anja; Jokelainen, Jari; Soukainen, Jouko; Ala-Mursula, Leena

2016-01-01

Objective Comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and quality of work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation to support return to work (RTW) among jobseekers. Design Community-level, cross-sectional analysis with multidimensional clinical work ability assessments. Setting Paltamo, Finland. Participants Unemployed citizens either participating in the Full-Employment Project or long-term unemployed (n = 230, 81%). Main outcome measures Based on data from theme interviews, patient records, supervisors’ observations of work performance and clinical examinations, a physician concluded the individual’s work ability, categorised into four groups: good work ability, good work ability expected after RTW support, able to transitional work only or unable to work. These groups were cross tabulated with primary diagnoses, types of plans to support RTW, as well as categories of social functioning and motivation, for which sensitivity and specificity scores in detecting work disability were calculated. Results Only about half of the jobseekers had good work ability, 27% were found unable to work in the open labour market and 15% even eligible for a disability pension. For 20%, care or rehabilitation was seen necessary to enable RTW. Poor supervisor- and self-rated performance at work or poor social functioning appeared as sensitive measures in detecting work disability. Conclusions Work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation are highly prevalent among jobseekers, as depicted using a multidimensional work ability assessment procedure inspired by the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). Further development of work ability assessment practices is clearly needed. KEY POINTSAlthough the association of unemployment with poor health is well known, evidence on the work ability of the unemployed remains scarce.Work disabilities are common among the unemployed.Multidimensional work ability assessment among the unemployed reveals unmet needs for care and rehabilitation to support return to work.Context sensitivity may add to the accuracy of the doctor’s conclusions on work ability. PMID:27804309

Work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation among jobseekers: a community-level investigation using multidimensional work ability assessments.

PubMed

Kerätär, Raija; Taanila, Anja; Jokelainen, Jari; Soukainen, Jouko; Ala-Mursula, Leena

2016-12-01

Comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and quality of work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation to support return to work (RTW) among jobseekers. Community-level, cross-sectional analysis with multidimensional clinical work ability assessments. Paltamo, Finland. Unemployed citizens either participating in the Full-Employment Project or long-term unemployed (n = 230, 81%). Based on data from theme interviews, patient records, supervisors' observations of work performance and clinical examinations, a physician concluded the individual's work ability, categorised into four groups: good work ability, good work ability expected after RTW support, able to transitional work only or unable to work. These groups were cross tabulated with primary diagnoses, types of plans to support RTW, as well as categories of social functioning and motivation, for which sensitivity and specificity scores in detecting work disability were calculated. Only about half of the jobseekers had good work ability, 27% were found unable to work in the open labour market and 15% even eligible for a disability pension. For 20%, care or rehabilitation was seen necessary to enable RTW. Poor supervisor- and self-rated performance at work or poor social functioning appeared as sensitive measures in detecting work disability. Work disabilities and unmet needs for health care and rehabilitation are highly prevalent among jobseekers, as depicted using a multidimensional work ability assessment procedure inspired by the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). Further development of work ability assessment practices is clearly needed. KEY POINTS Although the association of unemployment with poor health is well known, evidence on the work ability of the unemployed remains scarce. Work disabilities are common among the unemployed. Multidimensional work ability assessment among the unemployed reveals unmet needs for care and rehabilitation to support return to work. Context sensitivity may add to the accuracy of the doctor's conclusions on work ability.

Risk and predictors of work disability in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Mok, C C; Cheung, M Y; Ho, L Y; Yu, K L; To, C H

2008-12-01

The aim of this study is to determine the risk and predictive factors for work disability in patients with SLE. A cross-sectional questionnaire study was performed to evaluate the employment status of a sample of consecutive Chinese patients with SLE. Demographic, socioeconomic data (age, gender, marital status, years of education and household income), employment status, self-reported fatigue score and disease characteristics (SLE duration, organ damage and disease activity) were collected. Work disability was defined by the failure to work due to SLE. The cumulative incidence of work disability since the time of SLE diagnosis was studied by a Kaplan Meier's plot, and factors predictive of work disability were studied by Cox regression. A total of 147 patients with SLE were studied (mean age = 39.4 +/- 11.3 years; 95% women). Among 105 patients who were working at the time of SLE diagnosis, 39 (37%) lost their ability to work as a result of SLE after a mean disease duration of 10.0 +/- 6.1 years. Twenty-two (56%) patients lost their work ability within 2 years of diagnosis of SLE. The self-reported reasons for job loss were musculoskeletal pain (87%), skin disease (26%), renal problem (21%), fatigue (85%), memory deterioration (51%), anxiety or depressive symptoms (74%), too frequent sick leave (10%) and long-term hospitalisation (10%). The cumulative risk of work disability was 36% at 5 years after SLE diagnosis. In a Cox regression model, age (HR = 1.06 [1.02-1.11] per year; P = 0.008), self-reported fatigue score (HR = 1.06 [1.01-1.10] per point; P = 0.01) and mean disease activity score in the preceding two years (HR = 1.20 [1.02-1.42] per point; P = 0.03) were independently associated with working disability. In all, 37% of this group of patients with SLE lost their work ability after having the disease for 10 years. More than 50% of these patients developed work disability within the first 2 years of SLE diagnosis. Older age, fatigue and more active disease were independent predictors of work disability.

Response to Intervention: A Study of Practices, Beliefs, and Procedural Changes in One School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutler, Miriam

2009-01-01

The rising numbers of special education referrals have resulted in national debate and subsequent new legislation regarding the methods school districts have traditionally used to identify specific learning disabilities. The 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) now allows the use of a student's response…

The Community Transition Program: Experiences Starting a Community-Based Program for Students Aged 18-21

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baska, Llara; Kaufman, Anne; Gaumer, Amy

2003-01-01

The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in 1990 and the subsequent reauthorization in 1997 mandate school districts to provide transition services for students with disabilities in order to improve post-school outcomes for these youth. To help meet the requirements for transition, many school districts have developed…

What Makes Offenders with an Intellectual Disability Ready to Engage with Psychological Therapy? A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breckon, Susan E.; Smith, Ian C.; Daiches, Anna

2013-01-01

Although there are established links between measures of readiness for psychological therapy in offenders and subsequent reduction in recidivism rates there has been a lack of theoretical research considering this process within the intellectual disability (ID) offender population. Grounded theory methodology was used to explore the process by…

Regular School Teachers' Concerns and Perceived Barriers to Implement Inclusive Education in New Delhi, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhatnagar, Nisha; Das, Ajay

2014-01-01

Since the passage of The Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Act in 1995 and subsequent implementation of various policies and programs by the Indian government to enhance the participation of students with disabilities in regular schools, there has been a steady growth of inclusive education. Such initiatives, however, have placed new demands on…

Systemic lupus erythematosus in a multiethnic US cohort LUMINA (XLI): factors predictive of self-reported work disability.

PubMed

Bertoli, A M; Fernández, M; Alarcón, G S; Vilá, L M; Reveille, J D

2007-01-01

To examine the risk factors for self-reported work disability in patients from the LUpus in MInorities: NAture vs. Nurture cohort with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Patients with SLE of Hispanic (Texas and Puerto Rico), African American and Caucasian ethnicity were studied. Work disability was defined by patients' self-report. Only patients known to be employed at the baseline visit were included. The probabilities of self-reporting work disability over time were examined by the Kaplan-Meier method; differences between ethnic groups were examined by the log-rank test. The relationship of baseline socioeconomic-demographic, clinical, behavioural and psychological features with work disability was examined by standard statistical tests. Variables with p

Systemic lupus erythematosus in a multiethnic US cohort LUMINA (XLI): factors predictive of self‐reported work disability

PubMed Central

Bertoli, A M; Fernández, M; Alarcón, G S; Vilá, L M; Reveille, J D

2007-01-01

Objective To examine the risk factors for self‐reported work disability in patients from the LUpus in MInorities: NAture vs. Nurture cohort with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Patients with SLE of Hispanic (Texas and Puerto Rico), African American and Caucasian ethnicity were studied. Work disability was defined by patients' self‐report. Only patients known to be employed at the baseline visit were included. The probabilities of self‐reporting work disability over time were examined by the Kaplan–Meier method; differences between ethnic groups were examined by the log‐rank test. The relationship of baseline socioeconomic–demographic, clinical, behavioural and psychological features with work disability was examined by standard statistical tests. Variables with p⩽0.10 in these analyses were examined by logistic regression. Results The rate of self‐reported work disability among the 273 patients studied was 19% at 5 years; it was numerically higher for the African Americans (25%) than for the Hispanics from Texas (19%) and the Caucasians (18%). The rate for the Hispanics from Puerto Rico was 7% at 2 years; 5‐year rates could not be estimated for this ethnic subgroup (shorter follow‐up in the cohort). In the regression analysis, age, male sex, poverty, total disease duration, disease activity and damage accrual were predictors of work disability. Conclusions The rate of work disability was 19% at 5 years. Patients with SLE with more severe disease and with lower socioeconomic status are at high risk of becoming disabled. The toll SLE imposes could possibly be reduced in patients at risk if, in addition to medical treatment, services needed to overcome their disadvantageous socioeconomic status are provided. PMID:16815862

Characteristics of individuals receiving disability benefits in the Netherlands and predictors of leaving the disability benefit scheme: a retrospective cohort study with five-year follow-up.

PubMed

Louwerse, Ilse; Huysmans, Maaike A; van Rijssen, H Jolanda; van der Beek, Allard J; Anema, Johannes R

2018-01-18

Today, work disability is one of the greatest social and labour market challenges for policy makers in most OECD countries, where on average, about 6% of the working-age population relies on disability benefits. Understanding of factors associated with long-term work disability may be helpful to identify groups of individuals at risk for disability benefit entitlement or continuing eligibility, and to develop effective interventions for these groups. The purpose of this study is to provide insight into the main diagnoses of workers who qualify for disability benefits and how these diagnoses differ in age, gender and education. Using a five-year follow-up, we examined the duration of disability benefits and how durations differ among individuals with various characteristics. We performed a cohort study of 31,733 individuals receiving disability benefits from the Dutch Social Security Institute (SSI) with a five-year follow-up. Data were collected from SSI databases. Information about disorders was assessed by an insurance physician upon benefit application. These data were used to test for significant relationships among socio-demographics, main diagnoses and comorbidity, and disability benefit entitlement and continuing eligibility. Mental disorders were the most frequent diagnosis for individuals claiming work disability. Diagnoses differed among age groups and education categories. Mental disorders were the main diagnosis for work disability for younger and more highly educated individuals, and physical disorders (generally musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and cancer) were the main diagnosis for older and less educated individuals. In 82% of the claims, the duration of disability benefit was five years or more after approval. Outflow was lowest for individuals with (multiple) mental disorders and those with comorbidity of mental and physical disorders, and highest for individuals with (multiple) physical disorders. The main diagnosis for persons entitled to disability benefits was mental health problems, especially for young women. In a five-year follow-up, claim duration for disability benefits was long lasting for most claimants.

20 CFR 220.18 - The reentitlement period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... after the nine months of trial work during which the annuitant may continue to test his or her ability to work if the annuitant has a disabling impairment. (b) When the reentitlement period begins and... DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Under the Railroad Retirement Act for Work in an Employee's Regular Railroad...

20 CFR 220.18 - The reentitlement period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... after the nine months of trial work during which the annuitant may continue to test his or her ability to work if the annuitant has a disabling impairment. (b) When the reentitlement period begins and... DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Under the Railroad Retirement Act for Work in an Employee's Regular Railroad...

20 CFR 220.18 - The reentitlement period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... after the nine months of trial work during which the annuitant may continue to test his or her ability to work if the annuitant has a disabling impairment. (b) When the reentitlement period begins and... DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Under the Railroad Retirement Act for Work in an Employee's Regular Railroad...

20 CFR 220.18 - The reentitlement period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... after the nine months of trial work during which the annuitant may continue to test his or her ability to work if the annuitant has a disabling impairment. (b) When the reentitlement period begins and... DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Under the Railroad Retirement Act for Work in an Employee's Regular Railroad...

20 CFR 220.18 - The reentitlement period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... after the nine months of trial work during which the annuitant may continue to test his or her ability to work if the annuitant has a disabling impairment. (b) When the reentitlement period begins and... DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Under the Railroad Retirement Act for Work in an Employee's Regular Railroad...

Working Memory Functions in Children with Different Degrees of Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuchardt, K.; Gebhardt, M.; Maehler, C.

2010-01-01

Background: In recent years, there has been increased research interest in the functioning of working memory in people with intellectual disabilities. Although studies have repeatedly found these individuals to have weak working memory skills, few investigations have distinguished between different degrees of intellectual disability. This study…

Work disability resulting from chronic health conditions.

PubMed

Lerner, Debra; Allaire, Saralynn H; Reisine, Susan T

2005-03-01

To describe current programs and policies for addressing work disability among adults with chronic health conditions, and to identify opportunities for new research aimed at reducing the problem. The authors conducted secondary data analysis and a literature review. Millions of Americans with a chronic health condition have a work disability or are at risk of developing one. This public health problem is costing hundreds of billions of dollars a year nationally in lost productivity and diminishing the quality of life of millions of Americans. The medical care system, employers, and government--three traditional sources of help for adults with chronic health problems--are not sufficiently oriented toward the primary or secondary prevention of work disability. New research is urgently needed to reduce the burden of work disability on individuals and society.

Diagnostic Risk Adjustment for Medicaid: The Disability Payment System

PubMed Central

Kronick, Richard; Dreyfus, Tony; Lee, Lora; Zhou, Zhiyuan

1996-01-01

This article describes a system of diagnostic categories that Medicaid programs can use for adjusting capitation payments to health plans that enroll people with disability. Medicaid claims from Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, New York, and Ohio are analyzed to demonstrate that the greater predictability of costs among people with disabilities makes risk adjustment more feasible than for a general population and more critical to creating health systems for people with disability. The application of our diagnostic categories to State claims data is described, including estimated effects on subsequent-year costs of various diagnoses. The challenges of implementing adjustment by diagnosis are explored. PMID:10172665

Improving measures of work-related physical functioning.

PubMed

McDonough, Christine M; Ni, Pengsheng; Peterik, Kara; Marfeo, Elizabeth E; Marino, Molly E; Meterko, Mark; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Brandt, Diane E; Jette, Alan M; Chan, Leighton

2017-03-01

To expand content of the physical function domain of the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for the US Social Security Administration's (SSA) disability determination process. Newly developed questions were administered to 3532 recent SSA applicants for work disability benefits and 2025 US adults. Factor analyses and item response theory (IRT) methods were used to calibrate and link the new items to the existing WD-FAB, and computer-adaptive test simulations were conducted. Factor and IRT analyses supported integration of 44 new items into three existing WD-FAB scales and the addition of a new 11-item scale (Community Mobility). The final physical function domain consisting of: Basic Mobility (56 items), Upper Body Function (34 items), Fine Motor Function (45 items), and Community Mobility (11 items) demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. The WD-FAB offers an important tool for enhancement of work disability determination. The FAB could provide relevant information about work-related functioning for initial assessment of claimants; identifying denied applicants who may benefit from interventions to improve work and health outcomes; enhancing periodic review of work disability beneficiaries; and assessing outcomes for policies, programs and services targeting people with work disability.

Improving Measures of Work-Related Physical Functioning

PubMed Central

McDonough, Christine M.; Ni, Pengsheng; Peterik, Kara; Marfeo, Elizabeth E.; Marino, Molly E.; Meterko, Mark; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Brandt, Diane E.; Jette, Alan M; Chan, Leighton

2016-01-01

Purpose To expand content of the physical function domain of the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for the US Social Security Administration’s (SSA) disability determination process. Methods Newly developed questions were administered to 3,532 recent SSA applicants for work disability benefits and 2,025 US adults. Factor analyses and item response theory (IRT) methods were used to calibrate and link the new items to existing WD-FAB, and computer-adaptive test simulations were conducted. Results Factor and IRT analyses supported integration of 44 new items into 3 existing WD-FAB scales and the addition of a new 11-item scale (Community Mobility). The final physical function domain consisting of: Basic Mobility (56 items), Upper Body Function (34 items), Fine Motor Function (45 items), and Community Mobility (11 items) demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. Conclusions The WD-FAB offers an important tool for enhancement of work disability determination. The FAB could provide relevant information about work-related functioning for initial assessment of claimants, identifying denied applicants who may benefit from interventions to improve work and health outcomes; enhancing periodic review of work disability beneficiaries; and assessing outcomes for policies, programs and services targeting people with work disability. PMID:28005243

The Health Hazards of Marriage. A cohort study of work related disability within 12,500 Norwegian couples - the HUNT Study.

PubMed

Vie, Gunnhild Åberge; Krokstad, Steinar; Johnsen, Roar; Bjørngaard, Johan Håkon

2013-07-01

Work disability and sickness absence increase following partner's retirement, which similarities in spouses' health could explain. We therefore studied the risk of work disability within couples, taking account of baseline health, lifestyle and socioeconomic factors. A cohort of 12,511 couples from the HUNT Study (aged 20-67 years in HUNT2, 1995-1997) was linked to national registries, identifying all new cases of disability pension up until December 2007. Data were analysed with discrete time multilevel logistic regression and Cox regression models. Partners' disability pension was included as a time-varying covariate. Follow-up time was split to examine the association dependent of time. Analyses were adjusted for age only, adjusted for health, and for lifestyle and education along with health. About 15% of an individual's propensity to receive a disability pension could be attributed couple similarity. There was an increased risk of work disability following the spouse's disability retirement [HR (hazard ratio) 1.43 (95% confidence interval 1.20-1.71) for men, HR 1.49 (95% confidence interval 1.28-1.74) for women]. The association was somewhat attenuated after adjustments for health, lifestyle and education. There was a substantial clustering of disability pensions within couples, which cannot be explained by similarities in health, lifestyle and education. This suggests partners influence each other's work ability. From a clinical perspective, the family situation needs to be taken into account when addressing health promotion and work participation.

Women’s higher likelihood of disability pension: the role of health, family and work. A 5–7 years follow-up of the Hordaland Health Study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Women’s higher risk of disability pension compared with men is found in countries with high female work participation and universal welfare schemes. The aim of the study was to examine the extent to which self-perceived health, family situation and work factors explain women’s higher risk of disability pension. We also explored how these factors influenced the gender difference across educational strata. Methods The population-based Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) was conducted in 1997–99 and included inhabitants born in 1953–57 in Hordaland County, Norway. The current study included 5,959 men and 6,306 women in paid work with valid information on education and self-perceived health. Follow-up data on disability pension, for a period of 5–7 years, was obtained by linking the health survey to a national registry of disability pension. Cox regression analyses were employed. Results During the follow-up period 99 (1.7%) men and 230 (3.6%) women were awarded disability pension, giving a twofold risk of disability pension for women compared with men. Except for a moderate impact of self-perceived health, adjustment for family situation and work factors did not influence the gender difference in risk. Repeating the analyses in strata of education, the gender difference in risk of disability pension among the highly educated was fully explained by self-perceived health and work factors. In the lower strata of education there remained a substantial unexplained gender difference in risk. Conclusions In a Norwegian cohort of middle-aged men and women, self-perceived health, family situation and work factors could not explain women’s higher likelihood of disability pension. However, analyses stratified by educational level indicate that mechanisms behind the gender gap in disability pension differ by educational levels. Recognizing the heterogeneity within gender may contribute to a deeper understanding of women’s higher risk of disability pension. PMID:22943493

Women's higher likelihood of disability pension: the role of health, family and work. A 5-7 years follow-up of the Hordaland Health Study.

PubMed

Haukenes, Inger; Gjesdal, Sturla; Rortveit, Guri; Riise, Trond; Maeland, John Gunnar

2012-08-31

Women's higher risk of disability pension compared with men is found in countries with high female work participation and universal welfare schemes. The aim of the study was to examine the extent to which self-perceived health, family situation and work factors explain women's higher risk of disability pension. We also explored how these factors influenced the gender difference across educational strata. The population-based Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) was conducted in 1997-99 and included inhabitants born in 1953-57 in Hordaland County, Norway. The current study included 5,959 men and 6,306 women in paid work with valid information on education and self-perceived health. Follow-up data on disability pension, for a period of 5-7 years, was obtained by linking the health survey to a national registry of disability pension. Cox regression analyses were employed. During the follow-up period 99 (1.7%) men and 230 (3.6%) women were awarded disability pension, giving a twofold risk of disability pension for women compared with men. Except for a moderate impact of self-perceived health, adjustment for family situation and work factors did not influence the gender difference in risk. Repeating the analyses in strata of education, the gender difference in risk of disability pension among the highly educated was fully explained by self-perceived health and work factors. In the lower strata of education there remained a substantial unexplained gender difference in risk. In a Norwegian cohort of middle-aged men and women, self-perceived health, family situation and work factors could not explain women's higher likelihood of disability pension. However, analyses stratified by educational level indicate that mechanisms behind the gender gap in disability pension differ by educational levels. Recognizing the heterogeneity within gender may contribute to a deeper understanding of women's higher risk of disability pension.

20 CFR 220.160 - How work for a railroad employer affects a disability annuity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How work for a railroad employer affects a disability annuity. 220.160 Section 220.160 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Annuity Earnings Restrictions § 220.160...

Assessing Faculty Perspectives about Teaching and Working with Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Sandra; Palladino, John

2016-01-01

This study presents a unique assessment of faculty perspectives about teaching and working with students with disabilities against the backdrop of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A randomized sample of 127 faculty from a large Midwest comprehensive university completed the…

Ability to walk 1/4 mile predicts subsequent disability, mortality, and health care costs.

PubMed

Hardy, Susan E; Kang, Yihuang; Studenski, Stephanie A; Degenholtz, Howard B

2011-02-01

Mobility, such as walking 1/4 mile, is a valuable but underutilized health indicator among older adults. For mobility to be successfully integrated into clinical practice and health policy, an easily assessed marker that predicts subsequent health outcomes is required. To determine the association between mobility, defined as self-reported ability to walk 1/4 mile, and mortality, functional decline, and health care utilization and costs during the subsequent year. Analysis of longitudinal data from the 2003-2004 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries. Participants comprised 5895 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older enrolled in Medicare. Mobility (self-reported ability to walk 1/4 mile), mortality, incident difficulty with activities of daily living (ADLs), total annual health care costs, and hospitalization rates. Among older adults, 28% reported difficulty and 17% inability to walk 1/4 mile at baseline. Compared to those without difficulty and adjusting for demographics, socioeconomic status, chronic conditions, and health behaviors, mortality was greater in those with difficulty [AOR (95% CI): 1.57 (1.10-2.24)] and inability [AOR (CI): 2.73 (1.79-4.15)]. New functional disability also occurred more frequently as self-reported ability to walk 1/4 mile declined (subsequent incident disability among those with no difficulty, difficulty, or inability to walk 1/4 mile at baseline was 11%, 29%, and 47% for instrumental ADLs, and 4%, 14%, and 23% for basic ADLs). Total annual health care costs were $2773 higher (95% CI $1443-4102) in persons with difficulty and $3919 higher (CI $1948-5890) in those who were unable. For each 100 persons, older adults reporting difficulty walking 1/4 mile at baseline experienced an additional 14 hospitalizations (95% CI 8-20), and those who were unable experienced an additional 22 hospitalizations (CI 14-30) during the follow-up period, compared to persons without walking difficulty. Mobility disability, a simple self-report measure, is a powerful predictor of future health, function, and utilization independent of usual health and demographic indicators. Mobility disability may be used to target high-risk patients for care management and preventive interventions.

Predictors of life disability in trichotillomania.

PubMed

Tung, Esther S; Flessner, Christopher A; Grant, Jon E; Keuthen, Nancy J

2015-01-01

Limited research has investigated disability and functional impairment in trichotillomania (TTM) subjects. This study examined the relationships between hair pulling (HP) style and severity and disability while controlling for mood severity. Disability was measured in individual life areas (work, social, and family/home life) instead of as a total disability score as in previous studies. One hundred fifty three adult hair pullers completed several structured interviews and self-report instruments. HP style and severity, as well as depression, anxiety, and stress were correlated with work, social, and family/home life impairment on the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine significant predictors of life impairment. Depressive severity was a significant predictor for all SDS life areas. In addition, interference/avoidance associated with HP was a predictor for work and social life disability. Distress from HP was a significant predictor of social and family/home life disability. Focused HP score and anxiety were significant predictors of family/home life disability. As expected, depression in hair pullers predicted disability across life domains. Avoiding work and social situations can seriously impair functioning in those life domains. Severity of distress and worry about HP may be most elevated in social situations with friends and family and thus predict impairment in those areas. Finally, since HP often occurs at home, time spent in focused hair pulling would have a greater negative impact on family and home responsibilities than social and work life. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Disability at Work: A Look Back and Forward.

PubMed

Schur, Lisa; Han, Kyongji; Kim, Andrea; Ameri, Mason; Blanck, Peter; Kruse, Douglas

2017-12-01

Purpose This article presents new evidence on employment barriers and workplace disparities facing employees with disabilities, linking the disparities to employee attitudes. Methods Analyses use the 2006 General Social Survey to connect disability to workplace disparities and attitudes in a structural equation model. Results Compared to employees without disabilities, those with disabilities report: lower pay levels, job security, and flexibility; more negative treatment by management; and, lower job satisfaction but similar organizational commitment and turnover intention. The lower satisfaction is mediated by lower job security, less job flexibility, and more negative views of management and co-worker relations. Conclusion Prior research and the present findings show that people with disabilities experience employment disparities that limit their income, security, and overall quality of work life. Technology plays an increasingly important role in decreasing employment disparities. However, there also should be increased targeted efforts by government, employers, insurers, occupational rehabilitation providers, and disability groups to address workplace barriers faced by employees with disabilities, and by those with disabilities seeking to return to work.

Work Disability Prevention: A Primer for Occupational Therapists.

PubMed

McDougall, Alicia; Nowrouzi-Kia, Behdin

An estimated 313 million workplace accidents resulting in injury occur worldwide every year. Therefore, the burden of workplace injury and disability is present at the individual and the societal level and involves several stakeholders. There has been a shift in paradigm from workplace disability and injury treatment to workplace disability prevention. Occupational therapy practitioners are well positioned to address this multifaceted societal issue. Opening communication lines among stakeholders allows for a more holistic, collaborative, and comprehensive approach to disability, injury, and pain management. The positive results researchers have found at the individual level when using a holistic approach translate to benefits for all of the stakeholders involved. Occupational therapy practitioners may espouse a work disability prevention approach to reduce work disability rates and provide timely return-to-work outcomes for clients. The transition to the preventative model requires collaboration among stakeholders but would be beneficial to all stakeholders involved in the workplace. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Work disability before and after a major cardiovascular event: a ten-year study using nationwide medical and insurance registers.

PubMed

Virtanen, Marianna; Ervasti, Jenni; Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor; Lallukka, Tea; Kjeldgård, Linnea; Friberg, Emilie; Kivimäki, Mika; Lundström, Erik; Alexanderson, Kristina

2017-04-25

We examined the trajectories of work disability before and after IHD and stroke events. New IHD (n = 13521) and stroke (n = 7162) cases in 2006-2008 were retrieved from nationwide Swedish hospital records and their annual work disability days five years before and after the date of diagnosis were retrieved from a nationwide disability register. There was no pre-event differences in disability days between the IHD and stroke cases and five years prior to the event, they were close to those observed in the general population. In the first post-event year, the adjusted mean days increased to 83.9 (95% CI 80.6-86.5) in IHD; to 179.5 (95% CI 172.4-186.8) in stroke, a six-fold increase in IHD and 14-fold in stroke. Work disability leveled off among the IHD cases but not among those who had stroke. The highest disability levels for the fifth post-event year after a stroke event was associated with pre-existing diabetes (146.9), mental disorder (141.2), non-employment (137.0), and immigrant status (117.9). In a working-age population, the increase in work disability after a cardiovascular event decreases close to the pre-event level in IHD but remains particularly high after stroke; among patients with comorbid depression or diabetes, immigrants, and those not in employment.

Prevention of work disability due to musculoskeletal disorders: the challenge of implementing evidence.

PubMed

Loisel, Patrick; Buchbinder, Rachelle; Hazard, Rowland; Keller, Robert; Scheel, Inger; van Tulder, Maurits; Webster, Barbara

2005-12-01

The process of returning disabled workers to work presents numerous challenges. In spite of the growing evidence regarding work disability prevention, little uptake of this evidence has been observed. One reason for limited dissemination of evidence is the complexity of the problem, as it is subject to multiple legal, administrative, social, political, and cultural challenges. A literature review and collection of experts' opinion is presented, on the current evidence for work disability prevention, and barriers to evidence implementation. Recommendations are presented for enhancing implementation of research results. The current evidence regarding work disability prevention shows that some clinical interventions (advice to return to modified work and graded activity programs) and some non-clinical interventions (at a service and policy/community level but not at a practice level) are effective in reducing work absenteeism. Implementation of evidence in work disability is a major challenge because intervention recommendations are often imprecise and not yet practical for immediate use, many barriers exist, and many stakeholders are involved. Future studies should involve all relevant stakeholders and aim at developing new strategies that are effective, efficient, and have a potential for successful implementation. These studies should be based upon a clearer conceptualization of the broader context and inter-relationships that determine return to work outcomes.

Understanding and building upon effort to return to work for people with long-term disability and job loss.

PubMed

Saunders, S L; MacEachen, E; Nedelec, B

2015-01-01

Effort is a concept that underlies programs assisting people with work disability to re-enter the labour force. During re-entry, attention is paid to the effort invested by the worker with an injury. However, for those with chronic work disability, the motivation to return to work (RTW) may be questioned by benefit service providers and healthcare professionals. The objective of this paper is to describe the efforts made by people with long term work-disability to regain a foothold on the labour market. This phenomenological study explored the meaning of work for people with long-term work disability and job loss. Twenty-seven interviews were conducted with nine participants. A thematic analysis was completed of the collected data. A key finding of this study is the variety and degree of effort exerted by participants to regain employment, despite time away from the workplace and system barriers. Effort was exerted to retain pre-accident employment; to obtain new work following job loss; and, to remain in a new job. This study suggests that if the RTW effort of people with long-term work disability is not fully acknowledged or supported, this population will remain unemployed where their strengths as competent, experienced workers will continue to be wasted.

Practitioners Who Work with Parents with Intellectual Disability: Stress, Coping and Training Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayton, Olivia; Chester, Andrea; Mildon, Robyn; Matthews, Jan

2008-01-01

Background: Challenges for practitioners who work with parents with intellectual disability arise from several sources. The purpose of the current study was to identify the stressors experienced by practitioners who work with parents with intellectual disability in Australia, investigate coping strategies and explore training needs so as to inform…

Predictors of Work Participation of Young Adults with Mild Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holwerda, Anja; van der Klink, Jac J. L.; de Boer, Michiel R.; Groothoff, Johan W.; Brouwer, Sandra

2013-01-01

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) are three to four times less often employed compared to their non-disabled peers. Evidence for factors associated with work participation of young adults with ID is limited. Furthermore, studies on predictors for sustainable work participation among young adults with ID is lacking altogether.…

Cross-Country Differentials in Work Disability Reporting among Older Europeans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angelini, Viola; Cavapozzi, Danilo; Paccagnella, Omar

2012-01-01

Descriptive evidence shows that there is large cross-country variation in self-reported work disability rates of the elderly in Europe. In this paper we analyse whether these differences are genuine or they just reflect heterogeneity in reporting styles. To shed light on the determinants of work-disability differentials across countries, we…

Work ability as a determinant of old age disability severity: evidence from the 28-year Finnish Longitudinal Study on Municipal Employees.

PubMed

von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B; Seitsamo, Jorma; Ilmarinen, Juhani; Nygård, Clas-Håkan; von Bonsdorff, Monika E; Rantanen, Taina

2012-08-01

Lower occupational class correlates with a higher disability risk later in life. However, it is not clear whether the demands made by mental and physical work relative to individual resources in midlife predict well-being in old age. This study investigated prospectively whether work ability in midlife predicts disability severity in activities of everyday living in old age. Data come from the population-based 28-year follow-up called Finnish Longitudinal Study of Municipal Employees. A total of 2879 occupationally active persons aged 44-58 years answered a questionnaire on work ability at baseline in 1981 and activities of daily living in 2009. At baseline, perceived work ability relative to lifetime best was categorized into excellent, moderate, and poor work ability. At follow-up, disability scales were constructed based on the severity and frequency of difficulties reported in self-care activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). There was a graded prevalence of ADL and IADL disability severity, according to excellent, moderate and poor midlife work ability (p<0.001). Employees with moderate midlife work ability had an 11 to 20% higher mean ADL or IADL disability severity score, compared with those with excellent midlife work ability (reference), incidence rate ratios (IRR) ranging from 1.11 (95% CI 1.01-1.22) to 1.20 (95% CI 1.10-1.30). Those with poor midlife work ability had a mean ADL or IADL disability severity score 27 to 38% higher than the referent, IRRs ranging from 1.27 (95% CI 1.09-1.47) to 1.38 (95% CI 1.25-1.53). Adjusting for socio-economics, lifestyle factors and chronic diseases only slightly attenuated the associations. Work ability, an indicator of the de- mands made by mental and physical work relative to individuals' mental and physical resources, predicted disability severity 28 years later among middle-aged municipal employees.

Sick leave patterns as predictors of disability pension or long-term sick leave: a 6.75-year follow-up study in municipal eldercare workers

PubMed Central

Stapelfeldt, Christina Malmose; Nielsen, Claus Vinther; Andersen, Niels Trolle; Krane, Line; Borg, Vilhelm; Fleten, Nils; Jensen, Chris

2014-01-01

Objectives The aim was to study whether a workplace-registered frequent short-term sick leave spell pattern was an early indicator of future disability pension or future long-term sick leave among municipal eldercare workers. Setting The municipal healthcare sector in the city of Aarhus, which is the second largest city in Denmark. Participants All elder care employees who worked the entire year of 2004 in the municipality of Aarhus, Denmark (N=2774). The employees’ sick leave days during 2004 were categorised into: 0–2 and 3–17 short (1–7 days) spells, 2–13 mixed short and long (8+ days) spells and long spells only. Student workers (n=180), employees who were absent due to maternal/paternal leave (n=536) and employees who did not work the entire year of 2004 (n=1218) were not included. Primary outcome Disability pension and long-term sick leave (≥8 weeks) were subsequently identified in a National register. The cumulative incidence proportion as a function of follow-up weeks was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier curve. The relative cumulative incidence (RR) of experiencing events within 352 weeks was analysed in a generalised linear regression model using the pseudo values method adjusted for age, occupation, unfavourable work factors and sick leave length. Results A frequent short-term and a mixed sick leave pattern showed RRs of being granted a disability pension of 2.08 (95% CI 1.00 to 4.35) and 2.61 (95% CI 1.33 to 5.12) compared with 0–2 short spells. The risk of long-term sick leave was significantly increased for all sick leave patterns compared with 0–2 short spells. Adding sick leave length to the models attenuated all RRs and they became non-significant. Conclusions Sick leave length was a better indicator of future workability than spell frequency. Preventive actions should target employees engaged in homecare. The more sick leave days the greater the preventive potential seems, irrespective of spell frequency. PMID:24508850

Women with disabilities making the transition back to work: Psychosocial barriers and interventions.

PubMed

Reed, Cheryl A.

1999-01-01

The economic impact of disability on employment, earnings, and education appears to be more devastating for women than for men. Women with disabilities who are making the transition either back into the workforce or into the workforce for the first time often face barriers that are unique to this population. Many researchers have described women with disabilities as having a "double disadvantage" that results in social and psychological barriers to their transition back to work. The purpose of this article is to help vocational and career development programs better address the psychosocial needs of women with disabilities by (a) describing key psychosocial barriers faced by women with disabilities in their transition back to work and (b) providing career development strategies designed to ease this transition process for women with disabilities and enhance their employment outcomes.

Predictors of temporary and permanent work disability in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: results of the swiss inflammatory bowel disease cohort study.

PubMed

Siebert, Uwe; Wurm, Johannes; Gothe, Raffaella Matteucci; Arvandi, Marjan; Vavricka, Stephan R; von Känel, Roland; Begré, Stefan; Sulz, Michael C; Meyenberger, Christa; Sagmeister, Markus

2013-01-01

Inflammatory bowel disease can decrease the quality of life and induce work disability. We sought to (1) identify and quantify the predictors of disease-specific work disability in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and (2) assess the suitability of using cross-sectional data to predict future outcomes, using the Swiss Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort Study data. A total of 1187 patients were enrolled and followed up for an average of 13 months. Predictors included patient and disease characteristics and drug utilization. Potential predictors were identified through an expert panel and published literature. We estimated adjusted effect estimates with 95% confidence intervals using logistic and zero-inflated Poisson regression. Overall, 699 (58.9%) experienced Crohn's disease and 488 (41.1%) had ulcerative colitis. Most important predictors for temporary work disability in patients with Crohn's disease included gender, disease duration, disease activity, C-reactive protein level, smoking, depressive symptoms, fistulas, extraintestinal manifestations, and the use of immunosuppressants/steroids. Temporary work disability in patients with ulcerative colitis was associated with age, disease duration, disease activity, and the use of steroids/antibiotics. In all patients, disease activity emerged as the only predictor of permanent work disability. Comparing data at enrollment versus follow-up yielded substantial differences regarding disability and predictors, with follow-up data showing greater predictor effects. We identified predictors of work disability in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Our findings can help in forecasting these disease courses and guide the choice of appropriate measures to prevent adverse outcomes. Comparing cross-sectional and longitudinal data showed that the conduction of cohort studies is inevitable for the examination of disability.

Burnout and Work Stress among Disability Centers Staff in Oman

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohamed, Ahmed Hassan Hemdan

2015-01-01

Extensive efforts have been made to maximize the potential of children with disabilities in Oman. The establishment of Al-Wafaa centers of disabilities served as a channel to help families secure a variety of services provided to children with different disabling conditions. The purpose of this study was to explore the burnout of staff working in…

Employment or Economic Success: The Experience of Individuals with Disabilities in Transition from School to Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estrada-Hernandez, Noel; Wadsworth, John S.; Nietupski, John A.; Warth, Judy; Winslow, Amy

2008-01-01

This research explores the mediating effects of severity of disability on the employment outcomes of participants with disabilities, taking into account their perception of interest--job match. Participants were 115 high school students with disabilities who took part in an intensive school-to-work transition program that explored occupational…

"Learning to Work" in Small Businesses: Learning and Training for Young Adults with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruggeri-Stevens, Geoff; Goodwin, Susan

2007-01-01

Purpose: The paper alerts small business employers to new dictates of the Disability Discrimination Act (2005) as it applies to learning disabilities. Then the "Learning to Work" project featured in the paper offers small business employers a set of approaches and methods for the identification of a learning-disabled young adult…

What's It Like to Work with a Clinical Psychologist of a Specialist Learning Disabilities Service? Views from People with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gifford, Clive; Evers, Catherine; Walden, Sarah

2013-01-01

Clinical psychologists are well placed to work with people with learning disabilities given the high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this population and the specialist training undertaken by psychologists. The evidence for psychological interventions in learning disabilities is scarce compared to the evidence for mainstream psychological…

Subsequent Births in Families of Children with Disabilities: Using Demographic Data to Examine Parents' Reproductive Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Meghan M.; Urbano, Richard C.; Hodapp, Robert M.

2011-01-01

The authors determined family reproductive patterns after the birth of a child with (vs. without) a disability. Using Tennessee birth records, the authors examined families of children with Down syndrome (N = 1,123), spina bifida (N = 368), and population group (N = 734,189). Families of children with Down syndrome and with spina bifida were more…

INTERPRETING PHYSICAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SCORES FROM NEW WORK DISABILITY INSTRUMENTS

PubMed Central

Marfeo, Elizabeth E.; Ni, Pengsheng; Chan, Leighton; Rasch, Elizabeth K.; McDonough, Christine M.; Brandt, Diane E.; Bogusz, Kara; Jette, Alan M.

2015-01-01

Objective To develop a system to guide interpretation of scores generated from 2 new instruments measuring work-related physical and behavioral health functioning (Work Disability – Physical Function (WD-PF) and WD – Behavioral Function (WD-BH)). Design Cross-sectional, secondary data from 3 independent samples to develop and validate the functional levels for physical and behavioral health functioning. Subjects Physical group: 999 general adult subjects, 1,017 disability applicants and 497 work-disabled subjects. Behavioral health group: 1,000 general adult subjects, 1,015 disability applicants and 476 work-disabled subjects. Methods Three-phase analytic approach including item mapping, a modified-Delphi technique, and known-groups validation analysis were used to develop and validate cut-points for functional levels within each of the WD-PF and WD-BH instrument’s scales. Results Four and 5 functional levels were developed for each of the scales in the WD-PF and WD-BH instruments. Distribution of the comparative samples was in the expected direction: the general adult samples consistently demonstrated scores at higher functional levels compared with the claimant and work-disabled samples. Conclusion Using an item-response theory-based methodology paired with a qualitative process appears to be a feasible and valid approach for translating the WD-BH and WD-PF scores into meaningful levels useful for interpreting a person’s work-related physical and behavioral health functioning. PMID:25729901

Exploring the relationship between age and tenure with length of disability

PubMed Central

Young, Amanda E.; Pransky, Glenn

2015-01-01

Background The aging of the workforce, coupled with the changing nature of career tenure has raised questions about the impact of these trends on work disability. This study aimed to determine if age and tenure interact in relating to work disability duration. Methods Relationships were investigated using random effects models with 239,359 work disability claims occurring between 2008 and 2012. Results A 17‐day difference in the predicted length of disability was observed from ages 25 to 65. Tenure moderated the relationship between age and length of disability. At younger ages, the length of disability decreased as tenure increased, but at older age, the length of disability increased as tenure increased. Discussion Results indicate that although there is a relationship between length of disability and tenure, age makes a greater unique contribution to explaining variance in length of disability. Future research is needed to better understand why specifically age shows a strong relationship with length of disability and why that relationship varies with age. Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:974–987, 2015. © 2015 The Authors. American Journal of Industrial Medicine Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:26010587

Psychological, social, and mechanical work exposures and disability retirement: a prospective registry study.

PubMed

Emberland, Jan S; Nielsen, Morten Birkeland; Knardahl, Stein

2017-01-10

Relations between several occupational psychological and social factors and disability retirement remain largely unexplored. Knowledge of which specific aspects of the work environment that affect risk of disability is a prerequisite for the success of organizational interventions aiming to prevent premature work force exit. The objective of the present study was to determine contributions to registered disability retirement by a broad range of psychological and social work exposures while taking into account effects of mechanical exposure. Written consent was obtained from 13 012 employees (96 organizations) representing a wide range of occupations, to link their survey responses to data from the Norwegian national registry of disability compensation. Median follow-up time was 5.8 years. To determine effects of self-reported work exposures on risk of disability retirement hazard ratios (HR) and 99% confidence intervals (99% CI) were calculated with Cox regression analysis. Effects of sex, age group, skill level, sickness absence in the last three years, and work exposures estimated to be confounders were accounted for. Post hoc stratification by sex was conducted to explore if identified predictors affected risk of disability retirement differently in men compared to women. Contributors to higher risk of disability retirement were "role conflict" (high level HR 1.55 99% CI 1.07 to 2.24) and "physical workload" (high level HR 1.93 99% CI 1.39 to 2.68). Contributors to lower risk of disability retirement were "positive challenge" (high level HR 0.56 99% CI 0.34 to 0.93), "fair leadership" (high level HR 0.56 99% CI 0.39 to 0.81), and "control over work intensity" (high level HR 0.62, 99% CI 0.47 to 0.82). Direction of effects was not dependent on sex in any of the five identified predictors. Several specific psychological and social work factors are independent contributors to risk of disability retirement. In order to prevent premature work force exit workplace interventions should consider targeting the predictors identified by the present study.

The association between disability and intimate partner violence in the United States.

PubMed

Breiding, Matthew J; Armour, Brian S

2015-06-01

Prior research has shown that people with disabilities are at greater risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. This study seeks to examine the link between disability and IPV in a nationally representative sample of U.S. women and men. Also, by establishing that disability preceded recent IPV victimization, this study allows for a more thorough understanding of whether people with disabilities are at greater risk of victimization subsequent to having a disability. Data were analyzed from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, an ongoing, national random digit dial telephone survey of U.S. adults. Estimates of age-adjusted 12-month IPV prevalence by disability status were calculated. Compared to women without a disability, women with a disability were significantly more likely to report experiencing each form of IPV measured, which includes rape, sexual violence other than rape, physical violence, stalking, psychological aggression, and control of reproductive or sexual health. For men, significant associations were found with respect to stalking and psychological aggression by an intimate partner. The results suggest that people with a disability are at greater risk of victimization and that primary and secondary prevention efforts might be targeted to those with a disability. Published by Elsevier Inc.

20 CFR 416.991 - If your medical recovery was expected and you returned to work.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... SECURITY INCOME FOR THE AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED Determining Disability and Blindness Continuing Or Stopping Disability Or Blindness § 416.991 If your medical recovery was expected and you returned to work...

20 CFR 410.426 - Determining total disability: Age, education, and work experience criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK LUNG BENEFITS (1969- ) Total Disability or Death Due to Pneumoconiosis § 410.426 Determining total disability: Age, education, and work...

[The essentials of workplace analysis for examining occupational disability claims].

PubMed

Wachholz, St

2015-12-01

The insurance branch that covers the risk of occupational disability ranks among the most important private entities for offering security as far as the limitation or loss of one's ability to work is concerned. The financial risk of the insurer, the existential concerns and expectations of the claimant, as well as the legal framework and the need for a careful interdisciplinary evaluation, necessitate a professional review and assessment of the facts conducted with a sense of both responsibility and sensitivity. Carefully deliberated and sustainable decisions benefit both insurers and the insured. In order to achieve this, an opinion is required in many--and especially the more complex--cases from an external medical expert, which in turn can only be plausible and conclusive when based on a comprehensive review of the claimant's working environment and its particular (and often unique) requirements. This article is intended to increase the reader's understanding of the coherencies of workplace analysis and medical assessments, as required by insurance law and legislation. In addition, the article delivers valuable clues and guidance, both for medical experts and claims managers at insurance companies. Primarily, the claimant's occupation, as conceived in the terms and conditions of the insurance companies, is explained. The reader is then introduced to the various criteria to be considered when a claimant has several jobs at the same time, is self-employed, could be transferred to another job, is simply unable to commute to the workplace, or is prevented from working due to legal restrictions related to an illness. The article goes on to address the crucial aspect of how the degree of disability is to be measured under different circumstances, namely using the quantitative and the qualitative approach. As a reliable method for obtaining the essential data regarding the claimant's specific working conditions, which are required by both the medical expert and the insurance company's claims manager, the reader is provided with an insider's insights into on-site workplace analysis. The value of this pragmatic and proven method is subsequently demonstrated when the article addresses the often decisive part of the medical expert's assessment. In its conclusion the article points out the importance of workplace analysis to the entire process of evaluating occupational disability claims and the effort and monies to be saved by attaching value to thorough workplace analysis at an early stage.

Disability, disparate impact, and class actions.

PubMed

Stein, Michael Ashley; Waterstone, Michael E

2006-12-01

Following Title VII's enactment, group-based employment discrimination actions flourished due to disparate impact theory and the class action device. Courts recognized that subordination that defined a group's social identity was also sufficient legally to bind members together, even when relief had to be issued individually. Woven through these cases was a notion of panethnicity that united inherently unrelated groups into a common identity, for example, Asian Americans. Stringent judicial interpretation subsequently eroded both legal frameworks and it has become increasingly difficult to assert collective employment actions, even against discriminatory practices affecting an entire group. This deconstruction has immensely disadvantaged persons with disabilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individual employee claims to accommodate specific impairments, such as whether to install ramps or replace computer screens, have all but eclipsed a coherent theory of disability-based disparate impact law. Moreover, the class action device has been virtually nonexistent in disability discrimination employment cases. The absence of collective action has been especially harmful because the realm of the workplace is precisely where group-based remedies are needed most. Specifically, a crucial but overlooked issue in disability integration is the harder-to-reach embedded norms that require job and policy modifications. The Article argues that pandisability theory serves as an analogue to earlier notions of panethnicity and provides an equally compelling heuristic for determining class identity. It shows that pandisability undergirds ADA public service and public accommodation class actions in which individualized remedy assessments have been accepted as part of group-based challenges to social exclusion. The Article also demonstrates that this broader vision of collective action is consistent with the history underlying the class action device. Taking advantage of the relatively blank slate of writing on group-based disability discrimination, it offers an intrepid vision of the ADA's potential for transforming workplace environments. In advocating for a return to an earlier paradigm of collective action in the disability context, the Article also provides some thoughts on challenging race- and sex-based discrimination. Future workplace policies should plan for "all jobs to include some physical activity" unrelated to job qualifications in order to "dissuade unhealthy people from coming to work at Wal-Mart."

Work disability following major organisational change: the Whitehall II study.

PubMed

Virtanen, M; Kivimäki, M; Singh-Manoux, A; Gimeno, D; Shipley, M J; Vahtera, J; Akbaraly, T N; Marmot, M G; Ferrie, J E

2010-05-01

Privatisation and private sector practices have been increasingly applied to the public sector in many industrialised countries. Over the same period, long-term work disability has risen substantially. We examined whether a major organisational change--the transfer of public sector work to executive agencies run on private sector lines--was associated with an increased risk of work disability. The study uses self-reported data from the prospective Whitehall II cohort study. Associations between transfer to an executive agency assessed at baseline (1991-1994) and work disability ascertained over a period of approximately 8 years at three follow-up surveys (1995-1996, 1997-1999 and 2001) were examined using Cox proportional hazard models. In age- and sex-adjusted models, risk of work disability was higher among the 1263 employees who were transferred to an executive agency (HR 1.90, 95% CI 1.46 to 2.48) compared with the 3419 employees whose job was not transferred. These findings were robust to additional adjustment for physical and mental health and health behaviours at baseline. Increased work disability was observed among employees exposed to the transfer of public sector work to executive agencies run on private sector lines. This may highlight an unintentional cost for employees, employers and society.

Predictors of Return to Work for People with Psychiatric Disabilities: A Private Sector Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pluta, David J.; Accordino, Michael P.

2006-01-01

This investigation was a baseline study to determine if the speed of return to work could be predicted for people with psychiatric disabilities in a private sector setting. Participants with psychiatric disability claims who returned to work (N = 300) were obtained from a nationwide "Fortune 500" insurance company. The authors compared the speed…

Preparation of Social Workers to Support People with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laws, Jason; Parish, Susan L.; Scheyett, Anna M.; Egan, Christopher

2010-01-01

We examine how well schools of social work prepare students to work with people with developmental disabilities (DD). Using websites of 50 U.S. schools of social work, we examine their curricula to determine the number and nature of disability studies courses. We examine tenure-line faculty to identify potential for current staff to expand DD…

Using Contact Work in Interactions with Adults with Learning Disabilities and Autistic Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Sharon; Paterson, Gail

2011-01-01

This article describes a project about using contact work with people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. People with learning disabilities and additional autistic spectrum disorder are at risk of becoming socially isolated because of their difficulties in interacting with others. Contact work is a form of Pre-Therapy, which…

Student–Teacher Relationship Stability Across Early School Years for Children With Intellectual Disability or Typical Development

PubMed Central

Blacher, Jan; Baker, Bruce L.; Eisenhower, Abbey S.

2009-01-01

Student–teacher relationships of 37 children with moderate to borderline intellectual disability and 61 with typical cognitive development were assessed from child ages 6–8 years. Student–teacher relationship quality was moderately stable for the typical development group, but less so for the intellectual disability group. At each assessment these relationships were poorer for children with intellectual disability. Child behavior problems consistently predicted more conflict, whereas social skills predicted more closeness. Accounting for these child characteristics reduced the status group difference to nonsignificance. Earlier student–teacher relationships predicted subsequent changes in child behavior problems and social skills. Student–teacher relationships in the intellectual disability group were significantly lower for children in regular than special classes by age 8. PMID:19928015

Priming of disability and elderly stereotype in motor performance: similar or specific effects?

PubMed

Ginsberg, Frederik; Rohmer, Odile; Louvet, Eva

2012-04-01

In three experimental studies, the effects of priming participants with the disability stereotype were investigated with respect to their subsequent motor performance. Also explored were effects of activating two similar stereotypes, persons with a disability and elderly people. In Study 1, participants were primed with the disability stereotype versus with a neutral prime, and then asked to perform on a motor coordination task. In Studies 2 and 3, a third condition was introduced: priming participants with the elderly stereotype. Results indicated that priming participants with the disability stereotype altered their motor performance: they showed decreased manual dexterity and performed slower than the non-primed participants. Priming with the elderly stereotype decreased only performance speed. These findings underline that prime-to-behavior effects may depend on activation of specific stereotype content.

Return to Work After Temporary Disability Pension in Finland.

PubMed

Laaksonen, Mikko; Gould, Raija

2015-09-01

When it is possible that the employee's work ability can be restored through treatment or rehabilitation, disability pension in Finland is granted for a fixed period. We examined which factors are associated with return to work (RTW) after such temporary disability pension. The study included all Finnish residents whose temporary disability pension from the earnings-related pension system started in 2008 (N = 10,269). Competing risks regression analysis was applied to examine register-based determinants for RTW after temporary disability pension due to mental disorders, musculoskeletal diseases, other diseases, and injury over a 4-year follow-up period. The overall cumulative incidence of RTW was 25%. RTW was more probable after temporary disability pension due to injury and musculoskeletal diseases and less probable after temporary disability pension due to mental disorders. Younger age and higher education increased RTW but differences between genders, private and public sector employees, and occupational classes were relatively small. The probability of RTW was higher among those who were employed before their temporary disability pension (subhazard ratio in multivariate analysis 2.41 (95% CI 2.13-2.72) and among the 9% who participated in vocational rehabilitation during their pension [SHR 2.10 (95% CI 1.90-2.31)]. With some exceptions, the results were fairly similar for all diagnostic causes of temporary disability pension. Return to work after temporary disability pension was relatively uncommon. Nevertheless, in all diagnostic groups RTW continued for the whole follow-up period. The low educated and those not employed before temporary disability pension need more support in their RTW. The strong association between vocational rehabilitation and RTW suggests that increasing rehabilitation among those with impaired work ability may promote RTW.

Paid employment of mothers and fathers of an adult child with multiple disabilities.

PubMed

Einam, M; Cuskelly, M

2002-02-01

Paid employment is increasingly undertaken by mothers as their children age, with the majority of women being in employment by the time their offspring are adult. Opportunities to engage in employment appear to be reduced for mothers of children with disabilities; however, little is known about the employment of mothers or fathers of adults with disabilities. Data were collected regarding the employment decisions of parents of a young adult with multiple disabilities and contrasted with those of parents whose children were all developing normally. Twenty-five mothers and 12 fathers of a young adult with multiple disabilities were interviewed, as were 25 comparison mothers and 19 comparison fathers. Data collected included hours of work, reasons for employment status, attitudes towards work and child care, and psychological well-being. Clear differences were found between the two groups. Mothers and fathers of a child with multiple disabilities showed different engagement patterns with the paid workforce from comparison parents. Hours of work for fathers of a young adult with multiple disabilities showed a bi-modal distribution, with some fathers working fewer hours than usual and others working very long hours. For mothers in both groups, the number of hours in paid employment was negatively associated with reports of psychological problems. Increased attention needs to be given to the employment opportunities of parents of children with disabilities since employment appears to play a protective role for mothers, in particular. Services provided to adults with disabilities will need to change if parents are to have the same life chances as parents without adult offspring with a disability.

Impact of Anxiety and/or Depressive Disorders and Chronic Somatic Diseases on disability and work impairment.

PubMed

Bokma, Wicher A; Batelaan, Neeltje M; van Balkom, Anton J L M; Penninx, Brenda W J H

2017-03-01

Anxiety and/or Depressive Disorders (ADDs) and Chronic Somatic Diseases (CSDs) are associated with substantial levels of health-related disability and work impairment. However, it is unclear whether comorbid ADDs and CSDs additively affect functional outcomes. This paper examines the impact of ADDs, CSDs, and their comorbidity on disability, work absenteeism and presenteeism. Baseline data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (n=2371) were used. We assessed presence of current ADDs (using psychiatric interviews, CIDI) and presence of self-reported CSDs. Outcome measures were disability scores (WHO-DAS II questionnaire, overall and domain-specific), work absenteeism (≤2weeks and >2weeks; TiC-P) and presenteeism (reduced and impaired work performance; TiC-P). We conducted multivariate regression analyses adjusted for socio-demographics. Both ADDs and CSDs significantly and independently impact total disability, but the impact was substantially larger for ADDs (main effect unstandardized β=20.1, p<.001) than for CSDs (main effect unstandardized β=3.88, p<.001). There was a positive interaction between ADDs and CSDs on disability (unstandardized β interaction=4.06, p=.004). Although CSDs also induce absenteeism (OR for extended absenteeism=1.42, p=.015) and presenteeism (OR for impaired work performance=1.42, p=.013), associations with ADDs were stronger (OR for extended absenteeism=6.64, p<.001; OR for impaired work performance=7.51, p<.001). Both CSDs and ADDs cause substantial disability, work absenteeism and presenteeism, but the impact of ADDs far exceeds that of CSDs. CSDs and ADDs interact synergistically on disability, thereby bolstering the current view that patients with physical mental comorbidity (PM-comorbidity) form a severe subgroup with an unfavourable prognosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Equal health, equal work? The role of disability benefits in employment after controlling for health status.

PubMed

Frutos, Eva Maria Lopez; Castello, Judit Vall

2015-04-01

In Spain, an individual can be considered legally disabled in one of the following two ways: by either receiving a disability support benefit and/or holding a certificate of disability. Having at least one of these official sanctions entitles the disabled person to a number of financial and tax advantages. However, only support benefits entail a monthly allowance and, at the same time, the individual is required to undertake a different job to that of his/her previous one. To jointly estimate (after controlling for the health characteristics of the disabling condition and for unobserved factors) the probability of receiving disability benefits and the probability of working, we make use of a newly released database of individuals with a certificate of disability. Additionally, we exploit the rich set of health measures that this database also provides. Our results show that the probability of working is 5% lower (average treatment effect, ATE) for those disabled individuals receiving benefits. However, when we perform the estimation for individuals with differing degrees of disability, the disincentive effects of the benefits are only significant for individuals with the mildest level of disability (33-44%) i.e. those who are on the threshold of being disabled.

Students with reading and spelling disabilities: peer groups and educational attainment in secondary education.

PubMed

Kiuru, Noona; Haverinen, Kaisa; Salmela-Aro, Katariina; Nurmi, Jari-Erik; Savolainen, Hannu; Holopainen, Leena

2011-01-01

The present study investigated whether the members of adolescents' peer groups are similar in reading and spelling disabilities and whether this similarity contributes to subsequent school achievement and educational attainment. The sample consisted of 375 Finnish adolescents whose reading and spelling disabilities were assessed at age 16 with the Finnish dyslexia screening test. The students also completed a sociometric nomination measure that was used to identify their peer groups. Register information on participants' school grades also was available, and educational attainment in secondary education was recorded 5 years after completion of the 9 years of basic education. The results revealed that the members of adolescent peer groups resembled each other in reading disabilities but not in those of spelling. Reading disabilities and academic achievement shared within the peer group also contributed to educational attainment in secondary education. Finally, reading disabilities played a larger role in educational attainment among males than among females.

A Fractional Factorial Design Approach to Examining the Relative Importance of Five Factors in the Definition of Disability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortiz, Elizabeth T.

Programs which provide income maintenance to disabled persons of working age are experiencing rapidly growing enrollments and rising costs. Changes in the definition of disability are thought to be a contributing factor. A review of existing income programs for the work-disabled indicated that social and economic factors were used increasingly in…

77 FR 63831 - Consumer Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-17

... from its Disability Working Group concerning updating of the Commission's rules regarding Speech-to... recommendation for the Committee's consideration, also proposed by its Disability Working Group, urges the Commission to include people with disabilities, low income, and underserved populations in its Mobile Health...

The impact of work-limiting disability on labor force participation.

PubMed

Webber, Douglas A; Bjelland, Melissa J

2015-03-01

According to the justification hypothesis, non-employed individuals may over-report their level of work limitation, leading to biased census/survey estimates of the prevalence of severe disabilities and the associated labor force participation rate. For researchers studying policies which impact the disabled or elderly (e.g., Supplemental Security Income, Disability Insurance, and Early Retirement), this could lead to significant bias in key parameters of interest. Using the American Community Survey, we examine the potential for both inflated and deflated reported disability status and generate a general index of disability, which can be used to reduce the bias of these self-reports in other studies. We find that at least 4.8 million individuals have left the labor force because of a work-limiting disability, at least four times greater than the impact implied by our replication of previous models. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

'Bottom dog men': Disability, Social Welfare and Advocacy in the Scottish Coalfields in the Interwar Years, 1918-1939.

PubMed

Turner, Angela; McIvor, Arthur

2017-10-01

This article connects with and builds on recent research on workmen's compensation and disability focussing on the Scottish coalfields between the wars. It draws upon a range of primary sources including coal company accident books, court cases and trade union records to analyse efforts to define and redefine disability, examining the language deployed and the agency of workers and their advocates. It is argued here that the workmen's compensation system associated disability with restricted functionality relating to work tasks and work environments. Disability became more visible and more closely monitored and this was a notably contested and adversarial terrain in Scotland in the Depression, where employers, workers and their collective organisations increasingly deployed medical expertise to support their cases regarding working and disabled bodies. In Scotland, the miners' trade unions emerged as key advocates for the disabled.

‘Bottom dog men’: Disability, Social Welfare and Advocacy in the Scottish Coalfields in the Interwar Years, 1918–1939

PubMed Central

Turner, Angela; McIvor, Arthur

2017-01-01

This article connects with and builds on recent research on workmen's compensation and disability focussing on the Scottish coalfields between the wars. It draws upon a range of primary sources including coal company accident books, court cases and trade union records to analyse efforts to define and redefine disability, examining the language deployed and the agency of workers and their advocates. It is argued here that the workmen's compensation system associated disability with restricted functionality relating to work tasks and work environments. Disability became more visible and more closely monitored and this was a notably contested and adversarial terrain in Scotland in the Depression, where employers, workers and their collective organisations increasingly deployed medical expertise to support their cases regarding working and disabled bodies. In Scotland, the miners' trade unions emerged as key advocates for the disabled. PMID:29200509

Disability on campus: a perspective from faculty and staff.

PubMed

Shigaki, Cheryl L; Anderson, Kim M; Howald, Carol L; Henson, Lee; Gregg, Bonnie E

2012-01-01

To identify employee perceptions regarding disability-related workplace issues in Institutions of Higher Education (IHE). Faculty and staff (N=1,144) at a large, Midwestern university. A voluntary on-line survey of disability-related employment issues was developed by the university's Chancellor's Committee of Persons with Disabilities. Item responses were analyzed using descriptive and Pearson chi-square statistical methods. Fifteen percent of faculty and staff respondents were found to have disabilities, with 26% reporting experience of job discrimination, and 20% reporting harassment because of their disability. Results indicated significant differences on gender, employment standing (i.e., faculty or staff) and disability status (i.e., with or without a disability), in regard to perceptions of disability acceptance, campus accessibility, disability awareness, ADA policy, and knowledge of work accommodation procedures. Recommendations for IHEs are provided to promote a welcoming and inclusive campus that ultimately supports work success for persons with a disability.

Evaluation of a shared-work program for reducing assistance provided to supported workers with severe multiple disabilities.

PubMed

Parsons, Marsha B; Reid, Dennis H; Green, Carolyn W; Browning, Leah B; Hensley, Mary B

2002-01-01

Concern has been expressed recently regarding the need to enhance the performance of individuals with highly significant disabilities in community-based, supported jobs. We evaluated a shared-work program for reducing job coach assistance provided to three workers with severe multiple disabilities in a publishing company. Following systematic observations of the assistance provided as each worker worked on entire job tasks, steps comprising the tasks were then re-assigned across workers. The re-assignment involved assigning each worker only those task steps for which the respective worker received the least amount of assistance (e.g., re-assigning steps that a worker could not complete due to physical disabilities), and ensuring the entire tasks were still completed by combining steps performed by all three workers. The shared-work program was accompanied by reductions in job coach assistance provided to each worker. Work productivity of the supported workers initially decreased but then increased to a level equivalent to the higher ranges of baseline productivity. These results suggested that the shared-work program appears to represent a viable means of enhancing supported work performance of people with severe multiple disabilities in some types of community jobs. Future research needs discussed focus on evaluating shared-work approaches with other jobs, and developing additional community work models specifically for people with highly significant disabilities.

Dealing with anxiety disorders in the workplace: importance of early intervention when anxiety leads to absence from work.

PubMed

Nash-Wright, Jennifer

2011-01-01

A report from the Partnership on Workplace Mental Health, a program of the American Psychiatric Foundation, supports the widely held view that intervening early in a psychiatric disability absence will result in earlier return to work and reduce the likelihood of permanent disability. Studies unfortunately reveal that patients with psychiatric illness do not receive a level of care consistent with evidence-based best practice. This article highlights the importance of early interventions that utilize best practices for anxiety disorders that impair an employee's occupational functioning. Behavioral Health Consulting Firm. Studies on occupational disability conclude that collaborative communication between clinicians, disability case managers, and the employer is important to facilitate a successful and timely return to work for employees with temporary psychiatric disability. Avoidance of preexisting workplace conflicts can undermine return to work. Undertreatment and ineffective treatment are common causes of delayed recovery from acute anxiety conditions. In addition, lack of urgency among clinicians regarding the crisis nature of absence from work due to psychiatric illness can contribute to lengthy and unnecessary absence from work. A basic understanding of the acute aspects of anxiety disorders can assist disability case managers working in collaboration with treating clinicians and employees in a successful and timely return to work when an anxiety condition leads to absence from work.

Health care expenditures among working-age adults with physical disabilities: variations by disability spans.

PubMed

Pumkam, Chaiporn; Probst, Janice C; Bennett, Kevin J; Hardin, James; Xirasagar, Sudha

2013-10-01

Data on health care costs for working-age adults with physical disabilities are sparse and the dynamic nature of disability is not captured. To assess the effect of 3 types of disability status (persistent disability, temporary disability, and no disability) on health care expenditures, out-of-pocket (OOP) spending, and financial burden. Data from Medical Expenditure Panel Survey panel 12 (2007-2008) were used. Respondents were classified into 3 groups. Medians of average annual expenditures, OOP expenditures, and financial ratios were weighted. The package R was used for quantile regression analyses. Fifteen percent of the working-age population reported persistent disabilities and 7% had temporary disabilities. The persistent disability group had the greatest unadjusted annual medians for total expenditures ($4234), OOP expenses ($591), and financial burden ratios (1.59), followed by the temporary disability group ($1612, $388, 0.71 respectively). The persistent disability group paid approximately 15% of total health care expenditures out-of-pocket, while the temporary disability group and the no disability group each paid 22% out-of-pocket. After adjusting for other factors, quantile regression shows that the persistent disability group had significantly higher total expenditures, OOP expenses, and financial burden ratios (coefficients 1664, 156, 0.58 respectively) relative to the no disability group at the 50th percentile. Results for the temporary disability group show a similar trend except for OOP expenses. People who have disabling conditions for a longer period have better financial protection against OOP health care expenses but face greater financial burdens because of their higher out-of-pocket expenditures and their socioeconomic disadvantages. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Have Disability Transfers Caused the Decline in Older Male Labor Force Participation? A Work-Status Rational Choice Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haveman, Robert H.; Wolfe, Barbara L.

This paper presents a decision-process model for explaining the growth in transfer recipiency (the receipt by working age people of disability income), the choice of work status, and the reduction in labor force participation of older workers. It is hypothesized that the attractiveness of disability income transfer options has led older male…

Staff Stress and Burnout in Intellectual Disability Services: Work Stress Theory and Its Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devereux, Jason; Hastings, Richard; Noone, Steve

2009-01-01

Background: Staff in intellectual disability services can be at risk of stress and burnout at work. Given that staff well-being has implications for the quality of life of the staff themselves and people with intellectual disabilities themselves, this is an important research and practical topic. In this paper, we review work stress theories that…

Work Injury Risk Among Young People With Learning Disabilities and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Canada

PubMed Central

Pole, Jason D.

2009-01-01

Objectives. We sought to gain a better understanding of the relationship between learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and risk of occupational injury among young workers. Methods. We assessed 15- to 24-year-old workers (n = 14 379) from cycle 2.1 of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). We gathered data on demographic characteristics, work-related factors, and presence of learning disabilities or ADHD. We conducted a multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess occurrences of medically attended work injuries. Results. There was an 89% adjusted increase in work injury risk among workers with self-reported dyslexia (a type of learning disability) relative to workers reporting no learning disabilities, although this result did not meet traditional statistical significance criteria. Being out of school, either with or without a high school diploma, was associated with a significantly increased risk of work injury, even after control for a number of demographic and work-related variables. Conclusions. Our findings underscore the notion that individual differences salient in the education system (e.g., learning disabilities, school dropout) need to be integrated into conceptual models of injury risk among young workers. PMID:19542044

Childhood adversity, adult socioeconomic status and risk of work disability: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Halonen, Jaana I; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi; Pentti, Jaana; Virtanen, Marianna; Ervasti, Jenni; Oksanen, Tuula; Lallukka, Tea

2017-09-01

To examine the combined effects of childhood adversities and low adult socioeconomic status (SES) on the risk of future work disability. Included were 34 384 employed Finnish Public Sector study participants who responded to questions about childhood adversities (none vs any adversity, eg, parental divorce or financial difficulties) in 2008, and whose adult SES in 2008 was available. We categorised exposure into four groups: neither (reference), childhood adversity only, low SES only or both. Participants were followed from 2009 until the first period of register-based work disability (sickness absence >9 days or disability pension) due to any cause, musculoskeletal or mental disorders; retirement; death or end of follow-up (December 2011). We ran Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for behavioural, health-related and work-related covariates, and calculated synergy indices for the combined effects. When compared with those with neither exposure, HR for work disability from any cause was increased among participants with childhood adversity, with low SES, and those with both exposures. The highest hazard was observed in those with both exposures: HR 2.53, 95% CI 2.29 to 2.79 for musculoskeletal disability, 1.55, 95% CI 1.36 to 1.78 for disability due to mental disorders and 1.29, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.39 for disability due to other reasons. The synergy indices did not indicate synergistic effects. These findings indicate that childhood psychosocial adversity and low adult SES are additive risk factors for work disability. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Do psychosocial work conditions predict risk of disability pensioning? An analysis of register-based outcomes using pooled data on 40,554 observations.

PubMed

Clausen, Thomas; Burr, Hermann; Borg, Vilhelm

2014-06-01

To investigate whether high psychosocial job demands (quantitative demands and work pace) and low psychosocial job resources (influence at work and quality of leadership) predicted risk of disability pensioning among employees in four occupational groups--employees working with customers, employees working with clients, office workers and manual workers--in line with the propositions of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. Survey data from 40,554 individuals were fitted to the DREAM register containing information on payments of disability pension. Using multi-adjusted Cox regression, observations were followed in the DREAM-register to assess risk of disability pensioning. Average follow-up time was 5.9 years (SD=3.0). Low levels of influence at work predicted an increased risk of disability pensioning and medium levels of quantitative demands predicted a decreased risk of disability pensioning in the study population. We found significant interaction effects between job demands and job resources as combinations low quality of leadership and high job demands predicted the highest rate of disability pensioning. Further analyses showed some, but no statistically significant, differences between the four occupational groups in the associations between job demands, job resources and risk of disability pensioning. The study showed that psychosocial job demands and job resources predicted risk of disability pensioning. The direction of some of the observed associations countered the expectations of the JD-R model and the findings of the present study therefore imply that associations between job demands, job resources and adverse labour market outcomes are more complex than conceptualised in the JD-R model. © 2014 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Having a Disability and Seeking Work in a Difficult Job Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levinson, Jerry

2011-01-01

For those living with a chronic disability and, due to it, have been out of work for some time, but are now ready to take that giant leap into the job market, it will come as no surprise that they face some formidable obstacles--two of the largest being their disability and the economy. For those individuals with disabilities who want to land a…

[Integration of the handicapped into the work force using electronic data processing].

PubMed

Fischbach, F

1982-08-01

Successful settlement of disabled persons in gainful employment is closely contingent on both their training and the working environment present. For those disabled persons who cannot find jobs in the open market, it is possible to work in sheltered workshops. Founded on the initiative of parents of spastic children, the Saarbrücken Reha GmbH, a limited liability company for the sheltered employment of disabled persons, has for several years been employing disabled people in the field of text and data processing. This paper not only outlines some practical examples to illustrate suitable systems but also describes the types of tasks where good results can be achieved by the disabled employees.

Integration of disabled people in an automated work process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalba, C. K.; Muminovic, A.; Epple, S.; Barz, C.; Nasui, V.

2017-05-01

Automation processes enter more and more into all areas of life and production. Especially people with disabilities can hardly keep step with this change. In sheltered workshops in Germany people with physical and mental disabilities get help with much dedication, to be integrated into the work processes. This work shows that cooperation between disabled people and industrial robots by means of industrial image processing can successfully result in the production of highly complex products. Here is described how high-pressure hydraulic pumps are assembled by people with disabilities in cooperation with industrial robots in a sheltered workshop. After the assembly process, the pumps are checked for leaks at very high pressures in a completely automated process.

Measuring disability and monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: the work of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The Washington Group on Disability Statistics is a voluntary working group made up of representatives of over 100 National Statistical Offices and international, non-governmental and disability organizations that was organized under the aegis of the United Nations Statistical Division. The purpose of the Washington Group is to deal with the challenge of disability definition and measurement in a way that is culturally neutral and reasonably standardized among the UN member states. The work, which began in 2001, took on added importance with the passage and ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities since the Convention includes a provision for monitoring whether those with and without disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in society and this will require the identification of persons with disabilities in each nation. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) developed by the World Health Organization provided a framework for conceptualizing disability. Operationalizing an ICF-based approach to disability has required the development of new measurement tools for use in both censuses and surveys. To date, a short set of six disability-related questions suitable for use in national censuses has been developed and adopted by the Washington Group and incorporated by the United Nations in their Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses. A series of extended sets of questions is currently under development and some of the sets have been tested in several countries. The assistance of many National and International organizations has allowed for cognitive and field testing of the disability questionnaires in multiple languages and locations. This paper will describe the work of the Washington Group and explicate the applicability of its approach and the questions developed for monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. PMID:21624190

Measuring disability and monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: the work of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics.

PubMed

Madans, Jennifer H; Loeb, Mitchell E; Altman, Barbara M

2011-05-31

The Washington Group on Disability Statistics is a voluntary working group made up of representatives of over 100 National Statistical Offices and international, non-governmental and disability organizations that was organized under the aegis of the United Nations Statistical Division. The purpose of the Washington Group is to deal with the challenge of disability definition and measurement in a way that is culturally neutral and reasonably standardized among the UN member states. The work, which began in 2001, took on added importance with the passage and ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities since the Convention includes a provision for monitoring whether those with and without disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in society and this will require the identification of persons with disabilities in each nation. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) developed by the World Health Organization provided a framework for conceptualizing disability. Operationalizing an ICF-based approach to disability has required the development of new measurement tools for use in both censuses and surveys. To date, a short set of six disability-related questions suitable for use in national censuses has been developed and adopted by the Washington Group and incorporated by the United Nations in their Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses. A series of extended sets of questions is currently under development and some of the sets have been tested in several countries. The assistance of many National and International organizations has allowed for cognitive and field testing of the disability questionnaires in multiple languages and locations. This paper will describe the work of the Washington Group and explicate the applicability of its approach and the questions developed for monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Impact of a Safe Resident Handling Program in Nursing Homes on Return-to-Work and Re-injury Outcomes Following Work Injury.

PubMed

Kurowski, Alicia; Pransky, Glenn; Punnett, Laura

2018-05-21

Purpose This study examined the impact of a Safe Resident Handling Program (SRHP) on length of disability and re-injury, following work-related injuries of nursing home workers. Resident handling-related injuries and back injuries were of particular interest. Methods A large national nursing home corporation introduced a SRHP followed by three years of training for 136 centers. Lost-time workers' compensation claims (3 years pre-SRHP and 6 years post-SRHP) were evaluated. For each claim, length of first episode of disability and recurrence of disabling injury were evaluated over time. Differences were assessed using Chi square analyses and a generalized linear model, and "avoided" costs were projected. Results The SRHP had no impact on length of disability, but did appear to significantly reduce the rate of recurrence among resident handling-related injuries. As indemnity and medical costs were three times higher for claimants with recurrent disabling injuries, the SRHP resulted in significant "avoided" costs due to "avoided" recurrence. Conclusions In addition to reducing overall injury rates, SRHPs appear to improve long-term return-to-work success by reducing the rate of recurrent disabling injuries resulting in work disability. In this study, the impact was sustained over years, even after a formal training and implementation program ended. Since back pain is inherently a recurrent condition, results suggest that SRHPs help workers remain at work and return-to-work.

Disparities in Insurance Coverage, Health Services Use, and Access Following Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: A Comparison of Disabled and Nondisabled Working-Age Adults.

PubMed

Kennedy, Jae; Wood, Elizabeth Geneva; Frieden, Lex

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess trends in health insurance coverage, health service utilization, and health care access among working-age adults with and without disabilities before and after full implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and to identify current disability-based disparities following full implementation of the ACA. The ACA was expected to have a disproportionate impact on working-age adults with disabilities, because of their high health care usage as well as their previously limited insurance options. However, most published research on this population does not systematically look at effects before and after full implementation of the ACA. As the US Congress considers new health policy reforms, current and accurate data on this vulnerable population are essential. Weighted estimates, trend analyses and analytic models were conducted using the 1998-2016 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS) and the 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Compared with working-age adults without disabilities, those with disabilities are less likely to work, more likely to earn below the federal poverty level, and more likely to use public insurance. Average health costs for this population are 3 to 7 times higher, and access problems are far more common. Repeal of key features of the ACA, like Medicaid expansion and marketplace subsidies, would likely diminish health care access for working-age adults with disabilities.

Design of a trial-based economic evaluation on the cost-effectiveness of employability interventions among work disabled employees or employees at risk of work disability: The CASE-study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In the Netherlands, absenteeism and reduced productivity due to work disability lead to high yearly costs reaching almost 5% of the gross national product. To reduce the economic burden of sick leave and reduced productivity, different employability interventions for work-disabled employees or employees at risk of work disability have been developed. Within this study, called 'CASE-study' (Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Sustainable Employability), five different employability interventions directed at work disabled employees with divergent health complaints will be analysed on their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. This paper describes a consistent and transparent methodological design to do so. Methods/design Per employability intervention 142 participants are needed whereof approximately 66 participants receiving the intervention will be compared with 66 participants receiving usual care. Based on the intervention-specific characteristics, a randomized control trial or a quasi-experiment with match-criteria will be conducted. Notwithstanding the study design, eligible participants will be employees aged 18 to 63, working at least 12 h per week, and at risk of work disability, or already work-disabled due to medical restrictions. The primary outcome will be the duration of sick leave. Secondary outcomes are health status and quality of life. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and then 6, 12 and 18 months later. Economic costs will consist of healthcare costs and cost of lost production due to work disability, and will be evaluated from a societal perspective. Discussion The CASE-study is the first to conduct economic evaluations of multiple different employability interventions based on a similar methodological framework. The cost-effectiveness results for every employability intervention will be published in 2014, but the methods, strengths and weaknesses of the study protocol are discussed in this paper. To contribute to treatment options in occupational health practice and enable the development of guidelines on how to conduct economic evaluation better suited to this field; this paper provides an important first step. Trial registration Four trials involved in the CASE-study are registered with the Netherlands Trial Registry: Care for Work (NTR2886), Health and Motion (NTR3111), Guidance to Excel in Return to Work (NTR3151), Care for Companies/Second Care (NTR3136). PMID:22257557

[Return to work management of people with temporary disability].

PubMed

Okreglicka, Małgorzata

2011-01-01

There is a large and growing body of scientific evidence that return to work usually provides significant overall health benefit, and staying off work needlessly results in poorer overall health outcomes. Thus, employers, employees (patients), and insurers all benefit from individuals returning to work in usual time periods. Disability duration guidelines can be an important tool helping the injured workers to get back on the job. The return to work process needs to be accepted by all parties (physicians, employees, employers, insurers) as defensible, fair and evidence-based. "The medical disability advisor--Workplace guidelines for disability duration" by Presley Reed is the backbone of communication, understanding and measurement in case management programs, having great impact on many parties and steps during a case life cycle.

Workplace Outcomes in Work-Disability Prevention Research: A Review with Recommendations for Future Research.

PubMed

Young, Amanda E; Viikari-Juntura, Eira; Boot, Cécile R L; Chan, Chetwyn; de Porras, David Gimeno Ruiz; Linton, Steven J

2016-12-01

Introduction Outcome assessment is a central issue in work disability prevention research. The goal of this paper was to (1) ascertain the most salient workplace outcomes; (2) evaluate the congruence between business and science perspectives; (3) illustrate new perspectives on assessing longitudinal outcomes; and (4) provide recommendations for advancing outcome evaluation in this area of research. Methods The authors participated in a year-long collaboration that culminated in a sponsored 3-day conference, "Improving Research of Employer Practices to Prevent Disability", held October 14-16, 2015, in Hopkinton, MA, USA. The collaboration included a topical review of the literature, group conference calls to identify key areas and challenges, drafting of initial documents, review of industry publications, and a conference presentation that included feedback from peer researchers and a question/answer session with a special panel of knowledge experts with direct employer experience. Results Numerous workplace work-disability prevention outcome measures were identified. Analysis indicated that their applicability varied depending on the type of work disability the worker was experiencing. For those who were working, but with health-related work limitations (Type 1), predominant outcomes were measures of productivity, presenteeism, and work-related limitations. For those who were off work due to a health condition (Type 2), predominant outcomes were measures of time off work, supervisor/employee interactions, and return-to-work (RTW) preparation. For those who had returned to work (Type 3), predominant outcomes were measures of presenteeism, time until RTW, percentage of work resumption, employment characteristics, stigma, work engagement, co-worker interactions, and sustained or durable RTW. For those who had withdrawn from the labor force (Type 4), predominant outcomes were cost and vocational status. Discussion Currently available measures provide a good basis to use more consistent outcomes in disability prevention in the future. The research area would also benefit from more involvement of employers as stakeholders, and multilevel conceptualizations of disability outcomes.

Predictors of work disability after start of anti-TNF therapy in a national cohort of Swedish patients with rheumatoid arthritis: does early anti-TNF therapy bring patients back to work?

PubMed

Olofsson, T; Petersson, I F; Eriksson, J K; Englund, M; Nilsson, J A; Geborek, P; Jacobsson, L T H; Askling, J; Neovius, M

2017-07-01

To examine predictors of work ability gain and loss after anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) start, respectively, in working-age patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with a special focus on disease duration. Patients with RA, aged 19-62 years, starting their first TNF inhibitor 2006-2009 with full work ability (0 sick leave/disability pension days during 3 months before bio-start; n=1048) or no work ability (90 days; n=753) were identified in the Swedish biologics register (Anti-Rheumatic Treatment In Sweden, ARTIS) and sick leave/disability pension days retrieved from the Social Insurance Agency. Outcome was defined as work ability gain ≥50% for patients without work ability at bio-start and work ability loss ≥50% for patients with full work ability, and survival analyses conducted. Baseline predictors including disease duration, age, sex, education level, employment, Health Assessment Questionnaire, Disease Activity Score 28 and relevant comorbidities were estimated using Cox regression. During 3 years after anti-TNF start, the probability of regaining work ability for totally work-disabled patients was 35% for those with disease duration <5 years and 14% for disease duration ≥5 years (adjusted HR 2.1 (95% CI 1.4 to 3.2)). For patients with full work ability at bio-start, disease duration did not predict work ability loss. Baseline disability pension was also a strong predictor of work ability gain after treatment start. A substantial proportion of work-disabled patients with RA who start anti-TNF therapy regain work ability. Those initiating treatment within 5 years of symptom onset have a more than doubled 3-year probability of regaining work ability compared with later treatment starts. This effect seems largely due to the impact of disease duration on disability pension status. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Impact of Workplace Exposure and Stress on Neck Pain and Disabilities in Women-A Longitudinal Follow-up After a Rehabilitation Intervention.

PubMed

Svedmark, Åsa; Björklund, Martin; Häger, Charlotte K; Sommar, Johan Nilsson; Wahlström, Jens

2018-05-28

The aim was to evaluate if pain, disability, and work productivity are influenced by physical and psychosocial work exposures as well as by stress, up to 1 year after a randomized controlled trial treatment intervention, and to determine whether any such association differed between treatment and control groups. Ninety-seven working women suffering non-specific neck pain (n = 67 treatment group, n = 30 control group) were followed from end of treatment intervention and at 9- and 15-month follow-ups, respectively. Physical and psychosocial exposures, as well as perceived stress, were assessed after the treatment intervention. Pain, neck disability, and work productivity were assessed at baseline, after intervention 3 months later and at 9- and 15-month follow-ups. Longitudinal assessment was conducted using the exposure level at 3 months as predictor of pain, disability, and work productivity at 3, 9, and 15 months, respectively. Mixed models were used to estimate longitudinal associations, accounting for within-individual correlation of repeated outcome measures by incorporation of a random intercept. Age and duration of neck pain were adjusted for in all models. To evaluate group differences, interactions between exposures and treatment groups were estimated. High perceived stress was associated with more neck pain, more neck disability, and decreased work productivity in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. High 'control of decision' was associated with less neck pain, less neck disability, and higher work productivity in cross-sectional analyses but only to less disability and higher productivity in longitudinal analyses. Shoulder/arm load was the only physical exposure variable that was significantly associated with work productivity in the univariate analyses. Only small differences were observed between treatment and control groups. High perceived stress and low 'control of decision' were associated with more neck pain, increased neck disability, and decreased work productivity. Treatment interventions for individuals with neck pain should take into account psychosocial workplace exposures and stress to improve intermediate and long-term results.

"It's Intense, to an Extent": A Qualitative Study of the Emotional Challenges Faced by Staff Working on a Treatment Programme for Intellectually Disabled Sex Offenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandhu, Daljit K.; Rose, John; Rostill-Brookes, Helen J.; Thrift, Su

2012-01-01

Background: This study explores the emotional challenges faced by staff working on a sex offender treatment programme for people with an intellectual disability. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with eight participants working on a treatment programme for sex offenders with an intellectual disability. Interviews were analysed…

Clinician Experiences Assessing Work Disability Related to Mental Disorders

PubMed Central

Dewa, Carolyn S.; Hees, Hiske; Trojanowski, Lucy; Schene, Aart H.

2015-01-01

Objective Medical certification is one of the basic administrative mechanisms used by social policies aimed at income protection. The assessment of work disability is central to the income protection application. Yet, there is evidence suggesting that determining work disability related to mental disorders is challenging. Although essential to the disability application process, few studies have looked at physician and other clinician experiences with the process. However, this type of information is critical to developing processes to support providers who participate in the assessments. This purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of physicians and other clinicians assessing public long-term work disability related to mental disorders. Methods This is an exploratory and descriptive study using qualitative methods. Clinician input was gathered through focus groups and individual in-depth interviews. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed to identify recurrent and significant themes that arose during the focus groups and individual interviews. Results Many of the experiences that the clinicians in this sample discussed related to the difficulty of trying to fill the roles of advocate and medical expert as well as the challenge of determining the impact of functional capacity and work ability. The findings also highlight the current gap in knowledge about the factors that affect successful functioning in general and at work in particular. Conclusions Given the challenges created by the current state of knowledge, it may be useful to consider a category of “partial disability”. In addition, the fact that work disability depends on the interaction between the experience of the mental disorder and specific job requirements and the fact that people applying for public long-term disability are not working, it might be helpful to offer a clear description and guidelines of the meaning of work ability. PMID:25789478

Older age, higher perceived disability and depressive symptoms predict the amount and severity of work-related difficulties in persons with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Raggi, Alberto; Giovannetti, Ambra Mara; Schiavolin, Silvia; Brambilla, Laura; Brenna, Greta; Confalonieri, Paolo Agostino; Cortese, Francesca; Frangiamore, Rita; Leonardi, Matilde; Mantegazza, Renato Emilio; Moscatelli, Marco; Ponzio, Michela; Torri Clerici, Valentina; Zaratin, Paola; De Torres, Laura

2018-04-16

This cross-sectional study aims to identify the predictors of work-related difficulties in a sample of employed persons with multiple sclerosis as addressed with the Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire for Job Difficulties. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of work difficulties: predictors included demographic variables (age, formal education), disease duration and severity, perceived disability and psychological variables (cognitive dysfunction, depression and anxiety). The targets were the questionnaire's overall score and its six subscales. A total of 177 participants (108 females, aged 21-63) were recruited. Age, perceived disability and depression were direct and significant predictors of the questionnaire total score, and the final model explained 43.7% of its variation. The models built on the questionnaire's subscales show that perceived disability and depression were direct and significant predictors of most of its subscales. Our results show that, among patients with multiple sclerosis, those who were older, with higher perceived disability and higher depression symptoms have more and more severe work-related difficulties. The Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire for Job Difficulties can be fruitfully exploited to plan tailored actions to limit the likelihood of near-future job loss in persons of working age with multiple sclerosis. Implications for rehabilitation Difficulties with work are common among people with multiple sclerosis and are usually addressed in terms of unemployment or job loss. The Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire for Job Difficulties is a disease-specific questionnaire developed to address the amount and severity of work-related difficulties. We found that work-related difficulties were associated to older age, higher perceived disability and depressive symptoms. Mental health issues and perceived disability should be consistently included in future research targeting work-related difficulties.

Disability and sleep duration: evidence from the American Time Use Survey.

PubMed

Shandra, Carrie L; Kruger, Allison; Hale, Lauren

2014-07-01

Regular short and long sleep durations are associated with increased mortality and morbidity. While previous research shows significant sleep disparities between people with and without disabilities, less is known about the association between different types of disability and high-risk sleep using nationally representative data. We examine the association between short and long sleep durations and having a work disability or an impairment in sensory, cognitive, or physical functioning among a nationally representative sample of working-age adults in the United States. We estimate multinomial logistic regression models using data from the 2003-2012 American Time Use Survey to identify how different types of disabling conditions--net of other sociodemographic factors--relate to the likelihood of reporting short (6 h or fewer) or long (9 h or more) sleep, versus mid-range (between 6 and 9 h) sleep. For respondents with work disabilities versus those without work disabilities, the relative risk of short and long sleep is 1.4 and 1.5 times (respectively) that of those with mid-range sleep. The risk of short and long sleep durations is also higher among respondents with cognitive, physical, or multiple impairments. Individuals with disabilities are less likely than those without disabilities to have optimal sleep durations. These results demonstrate the importance of health promotion services among this population, with specific attention to sleep hygiene interventions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effort-reward imbalance as a risk factor for disability pension: the Finnish Public Sector Study.

PubMed

Juvani, Anne; Oksanen, Tuula; Salo, Paula; Virtanen, Marianna; Kivimäki, Mika; Pentti, Jaana; Vahtera, Jussi

2014-05-01

Job strain has previously been shown to predict disability pension, but it is unknown whether effort-reward imbalance (ERI), another major stress model, is also associated with disability pension. We examined ERI as a risk factor for diagnosis-specific disability pension in a cohort of 51 874 public-sector employees in Finland. To control for reporting bias, work unit-level scores of ERI (based on the survey responses of 35 260 employees in 2000-2002) were constructed and linked to all eligible employees. A sub-cohort of the respondents was analyzed also with individual-level ERI. Disability pension data were derived from national pension registers with no loss to follow-up. The outcomes were all-cause disability pension and disability pension due to depression, musculoskeletal diseases, and ischemic heart diseases (IHD). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models (adjusted for sociodemographic factors, baseline health, and work-related characteristics) were used for analyses. During a mean 8.9 years of follow-up, 4542 participants were granted disability pension. An increased risk for disability pension due to depression was detected for both high work unit- and individual-level ERI [hazard ratio (HR) 1.63, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.31-2.04 and HR 1.90, 95% CI 1.51-2.40, respectively]. High individual-level ERI increased the risk of disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.13-1.53), but no association was observed for work unit-level ERI (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.88-1.19). ERI was not associated with disability pension due to IHD. The present study showed a consistent association between high ERI and an increased risk of disability pension due to depression.

Long-term follow-up of disability pensioners having musculoskeletal disorders.

PubMed

Magnussen, Liv H; Strand, Liv I; Skouen, Jan S; Eriksen, Hege R

2009-11-10

Previously we have conducted a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effect of a brief cognitive behavioural program with a vocational approach aiming to return disability pensioners with back pain to work, as compared to no intervention. One year after the intervention, 10 participants (22%) who received the program and 5 (11%) in the control group reported to have entered a return to work process. The aims of this study were to evaluate long-term effects of the intervention, and compare this effect to 2 reference populations not participating in the original trial. Three groups of disability pensioners were investigated: 1) Disability pensioners having back pain (n = 89) previously participating in the RCT (randomized to either a brief cognitive behavioural intervention or to a control group), 2) 342 disability pensioners having back pain, but refusing to participate in the study and 3) 449 disability pensioners having other musculoskeletal disorders than back pain. Primary outcome was return to work, defined as a reduction in payment of disability pension. Only 2 of 89 (2.3%) participants from the RCT had reduced disability pension at 3-years follow-up, both from the control group. None of the participants that had been in a process of returning to work after 1 year had actually gained employment at 3-years follow-up. In the 2 groups not participating in the previous RCT, only 4 (1.2%) and 8 (1.6%) had returned to work after 3 years respectively. The number of pensioners who returned to work was negligible in all groups regardless of having participated in a cognitive behavioural intervention or not.

Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to address facilitators and barriers to participation at work.

PubMed

Martins, Anabela Correia

2015-01-01

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was approved by the World Health Assembly in 2001. Ten years later, strong arguments have arisen regarding the added value of ICF to the policies on employment and the outcomes at the workplace. As a conceptual framework, ICF has universality because of its inclusive and comprehensive view of human functioning. At a practical level ICF can be used to quantify the impact of impairment on an individual's ability to act in his/her environment and to assess interventions to minimize the impact of disability and maximize functioning. To explore key indicators of social participation (life habits) of persons with disabilities, particularly related to work, among environmental and personal factors. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires from a convenience sample of 149 working-age persons with disabilities. Social participation is a construct composed by multiple components and employment domain is the strongest indicator of participation. Correlations between social participation and personal factors, such as self-efficacy and attitudes towards disability were moderate. Those who are employed scored higher quality of life in terms of satisfaction with life, more positive attitudes toward disabilities and higher self-efficacy than the ones who are retired or unemployed. Persons using adapted wheelchair and those who were involved in wheelchair selection scored higher in social participation in general, performance at work, and quality of life. Age and disability duration were not associated with participants' employment status. These findings suggest that rehabilitation and vocational agents, like physiotherapists and other professionals, should have knowledge and understanding of the multiple factors that influence persons with disabilities' participation at work. Programs should provide appropriate wheelchairs, skills training, empowerment and problem-solving strategies in labour activities and occupational environment to promote employment of working-age persons with disabilities.

Do working conditions explain the increased risks of disability pension among men and women with low education? A follow-up of Swedish cohorts.

PubMed

Falkstedt, Daniel; Backhans, Mona; Lundin, Andreas; Allebeck, Peter; Hemmingsson, Tomas

2014-09-01

Rates of disability pension are greatly increased among people with low education. This study examines the extent to which associations between education and disability pensions might be explained by differences in working conditions. Information on individuals at age 13 years was used to assess confounding of associations. Two nationally representative samples of men and women born in 1948 and 1953 in Sweden (22 889 participants in total) were linked to information from social insurance records on cause (musculoskeletal, psychiatric, and other) and date (from 1986-2008) of disability pension. Education data were obtained from administrative records. Occupation data were used for measurement of physical strain at work and job control. Data on paternal education, ambition to study, and intellectual performance were collected in school. Women were found to have higher rates of disability pension than men, regardless of diagnosis, whereas men had a steeper increase in disability pension by declining educational level. Adjustment of associations for paternal education, ambition to study, and intellectual performance at age 13 had a considerable attenuating effect, also when disability pension with a musculoskeletal diagnosis was the outcome. Despite this, high physical strain at work and low job control both contributed to explain the associations between low education and disability pensions in multivariable models. Working conditions seem to partly explain the increased rate of disability pension among men and women with lower education even though this association does reflect considerable selection effects based on factors already present in late childhood.

Employer Policies and Practices to Manage and Prevent Disability: Foreword to the Special Issue.

PubMed

Shaw, William S; Main, Chris J; Pransky, Glenn; Nicholas, Michael K; Anema, Johannes R; Linton, Steven J

2016-12-01

Purpose Employer policies and practices have been shown to impact workplace disability, but research in this area has waned in recent years despite an aging workforce, a growing prevalence of chronic health conditions, and a larger proportion of working-age adults on permanent work disability in many jurisdictions. The purpose of this article is to describe the background rationale and methodology for an invited conference designed to improve research of employer strategies to curtail work disability. Methods A multidisciplinary team of 26 international researchers with published research in employer-based disability management or related fields were invited to attend a 3-day conference in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, USA. The overall goal was to review the status of current research of workplace disability management and prevention, examine its relevance for employer decision-making, compare conceptual frameworks or theoretical perspectives, and recommend future research directions. Working groups were organized and draft manuscripts were prepared in advance. Conference activities included working group presentations and critiques, discussions with a panel of industry consultants and advisors, group interaction and debate, generation of final recommendations, and manuscript revision. Results/Conclusion Six principal domains were established with respect to future research: (a) further elucidation of the key workplace factors that buffer the disabling effects of injury and illness; (b) more innovative and feasible options for workplace intervention; (c) measurement of workplace-relevant disability outcomes; (d) a stronger theoretical framework for understanding the factors behind employer uptake and implementation; (e) a focus on special clinical populations and occupations where disability risk is most troubling; and (f) better representation of workers and employers that reflect the diverse and changing nature of work. Final comments and recommendations of the working groups are presented in the following six articles in this special issue of the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. Conference attendees recommended changes in methodology, collaboration strategies, and theoretical perspectives to improve the practical and scientific impact of future research of employer practices.

Assessing factors associated with long-term work disability after cancer in Belgium: a population-based cohort study using competing risks analysis with a 7-year follow-up

PubMed Central

Nicolaie, Alina Mioara; Goetghebeur, Els; Otter, Renee; Mortelmans, Katrien; Missinnne, Sarah; Arbyn, Marc; Bouland, Catherine; de Brouwer, Christophe

2018-01-01

Objectives The number of workers with cancer has dramatically increasing worldwide. One of the main priorities is to preserve their quality of life and the sustainability of social security systems. We have carried out this study to assess factors associated with the ability to work after cancer. Such insight should help with the planning of rehabilitation needs and tailored programmes. Participants We conducted this register-based cohort study using individual data from the Belgian Disability Insurance. Data on 15 543 socially insured Belgian people who entered into the long-term work disability between 2007 and 2011 due to cancer were used. Primary and secondary outcome measures We estimated the duration of work disability using Kaplan-Meier and the cause-specific cumulative incidence of ability to work stratified by age, gender, occupational class and year of entering the work disability system for 11 cancer sites using the Fine and Gray model allowing for competing risks. Results The overall median time of work disability was 1.59 years (95% CI 1.52 to 1.66), ranging from 0.75 to 4.98 years. By the end of follow-up, more than one-third of the disabled cancer survivors were able to work (35%). While a large proportion of the women were able to work at the end of follow-up, the men who were able to work could do so sooner. Being women, white collar, young and having haematological, male genital or breast cancers were factors with the bestlikelihood to be able to return to work. Conclusion Good prognostic factors for the ability to work were youth, woman, white collar and having breast, male genital or haematological cancers. Reviewing our results together with the cancer incidence predictions up to 2025 offers a high value for social security and rehabilitation planning and for ascertaining patients’ perspectives. PMID:29455161

Factors affecting employment outcomes for people with disabilities who received Disability Employment Services in Taiwan.

PubMed

Jang, Yuh; Wang, Yun-Tung; Lin, Meng-Hsiu

2014-03-01

One of the most important rehabilitation goals is to return people with disabilities to paid employment. The purposes of this study were (1) to explore employment status and (2) to identify factors that may affect the employment outcomes of people with disabilities who received Disability Employment Services (DES). A retrospective study was conducted on clients who commenced and closed DES between January 2008 and December 2010 in a metropolitan city in Taiwan, using the files from the National Vocational Rehabilitation Services Documentary System. Sixty-nine percent (1,684 out of 2,452) of the clients in this study were engaged in paid employment after receiving DES. Logistic regression analyses indicated that clients with no psychiatric disability or mild impairment and with useful vocational qualifications, typical work experience, more post-employment services, and less pre-employment services were associated with a higher rate of successful employment outcomes. This study provides empirical evidence of the association between person- and DES-related factors and the employment outcomes of people with disabilities. Future improvements in health, school-to-work transition services, and vocational rehabilitation for people with disabilities should place more emphasis on providing work-based work experience, professional vocational training, access to college/professional education, career exploration, effective supported employment services, and other post-employment services.

[The role of the occupational physician in disabled return to work].

PubMed

Belotti, L; Molinero, G; Maccarana, G; Mosconi, G

2012-01-01

Workers, former workers or unemployed workers with disabilities of various kinds often come to the Occupational Health Hospital Department (UOOML), requiring a report on their fitness for work that often is generic or not suitable for specific situations: a detailed knowledge of both working and health conditions, mainly disabilities and job items are needed. The UOOML was never directly involved in the proceedings of targeted fitting-up of the disabled people, while some Doctors of the Department of Prevention of ASL have an advisory role participating in the Technical Committee under Law 68 and the 'Disabled Commission'. INAIL (the National Insurance Institute for Occupational Accidents and Diseases), in case of allocation of percentages of disability higher than 33% (necessary requirement for the targeted employment) provides an assessment of the 'residual capacity'. The Company Occupational Physician cooperates and intervenes in the management of the employment of the disabled worker in very different ways and at several stages of the path of integration or reintegration. Considering the prolonged and effective cooperation among the Doctors of the UOOML and the Psysiatrists of our Hospital, we are developing a specific out-patients' department where a report on the fitness for job, as close as possible to the patient/work-task compliance, is provided to the disabled.

20 CFR 220.29 - Work that is considered substantial gainful activity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Under the Railroad Retirement Act for Any Regular Employment § 220.29 Work that is considered substantial gainful activity. Work is considered to be...

The predictors of absenteeism due to psychological disability: a longitudinal study in the education sector.

PubMed

Negrini, Alessia; Perron, Jacques; Corbière, Marc

2014-01-01

Being absent from work because of a psychological disability is costly for both individuals and organizations and frequent in employees working in the field of education. Absenteeism from work has been mostly studied as an organizational withdrawal behavior related to negative factors. The purpose of this longitudinal study is to define the predictors of absenteeism due to psychological disability by taking into account resources, such as Self-determined work motivation and Subjective well-being, as well as symptoms of Psychological distress. The sample consisted of 261 employees from a Canadian public school organization. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare the mean scores of participants who were not absent from work and participants who were absent due to psychological disability. Logistic regression analyses were computed for the dependent variable to assess the contribution of the three independent variables. Participants who were absent from work due to psychological disability in the year following the data collection scored significantly lower on resources, and higher on symptoms than those participants who were not absent. The three-predictor model was found to be significant. However, only Self-determined work motivation and Psychological distress significantly predicted absenteeism due to psychological disability. Results are discussed in terms of psychological processes regulating the relationships between the work-related factors (i.e., work motivation) and life-related factors (i.e., psychological distress and subjective well-being) of personal adjustment and accomplishment.

The association between disability and intimate partner violence in the United States

PubMed Central

Breiding, Matthew J.; Armour, Brian S.

2015-01-01

Purpose Prior research has shown that people with disabilities are at greater risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. This study seeks to examine the link between disability and IPV in a nationally representative sample of U.S. women and men. Also, by establishing that disability preceded recent IPV victimization, this study allows for a more thorough understanding of whether people with disabilities are at greater risk of victimization subsequent to having a disability. Methods Data were analyzed from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, an ongoing, national random digit dial telephone survey of U.S. adults. Estimates of age-adjusted 12-month IPV prevalence by disability status were calculated. Results Compared to women without a disability, women with a disability were significantly more likely to report experiencing each form of IPV measured, which includes rape, sexual violence other than rape, physical violence, stalking, psychological aggression, and control of reproductive or sexual health. For men, significant associations were found with respect to stalking and psychological aggression by an intimate partner. Conclusions The results suggest that people with a disability are at greater risk of victimization and that primary and secondary prevention efforts might be targeted to those with a disability. PMID:25976023

Work ability score and future work ability as predictors of register-based disability pension and long-term sickness absence: A three-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Kinnunen, Ulla; Nätti, Jouko

2018-05-01

We investigated two single items of the Work Ability Index - work ability score, and future work ability - as predictors of register-based disability pension and long-term sickness absence over a three-year follow-up. Survey responses of 11,131 Finnish employees were linked to pension and long-term (more than 10 days) sickness absence register data by Statistics Finland. Work ability score was divided into poor (0-5), moderate (6-7) and good/excellent (8-10) and future work ability into poor (1-2) and good (3) work ability at baseline. Cox proportional hazard regressions were used in the analysis of disability pension, and a negative binomial model in the analysis of long-term sickness absence. The results were adjusted for several background, work- and health-related covariates. Compared with those with good/excellent work ability scores, the hazard ratios of disability pension after adjusting for all covariates were 9.84 (95% CI 6.68-14.49) for poor and 2.25 (CI 95% 1.51-3.35) for moderate work ability score. For future work ability, the hazard ratio was 8.19 (95% CI 4.71-14.23) among those with poor future work ability. The incidence rate ratios of accumulated long-term sickness absence days were 3.08 (95% CI 2.19-4.32) and 1.59 (95% CI 1.32-1.92) for poor and moderate work ability scores, and 1.51 (95% CI 0.97-2.36) for poor future work ability. The single items of work ability score and future work ability predicted register-based disability pension equally well, but work ability score was a better predictor of register-based long-term sickness absence days than future work ability in a three-year follow-up. Both items seem to be of use especially when examining the risk of poor work ability for disability but also for long sick leave.

[Employment conditions and a system of occupational health administration for disabled workers].

PubMed

Nagae, S; Baba, Y; Inoue, N

1985-12-01

A survey using a questionaire was conducted to elucidate the employment conditions and a system of occupational health administration status of the disabled workers in private enterprises. The average employment rate of disabled workers was found to be higher in small-scale enterprises, than in large-scale enterprises. Also, the low employment rate was found among cases of spinal cord injuries and hemipregia. The reasons for workers becoming disabled were "private accident and illness" (59.2%) "congenital" (30.6%) and "labor accident" (10.2%). The main physical factor influencing work efficiency of disabled workers was "degree of disability" while "work morale" was found to be the most influential psychological factor. Also it was found that about 50% of private enterprises will accept the reinstatement and employment of spinal cord injury or hemipregia workers. But it will be necessary that the disabled workers are able to do the requested job. However, it is necessary for employers of disabled workers to make various efforts in overcoming situations such as, changes in organization, improvement of occupational health administration staffs and improvements in the working environment and equipment.

Individuals' perceptions of employment accommodation decisions and solutions: lessons for social workers.

PubMed

Hartnett, Helen P; Thurman, Hanna; Cordingly, Kim

2010-01-01

Disability rights advocates in social work have claimed that employment opportunities for people with disabilities are an important part of personal empowerment and social inclusion. Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act is aimed at ensuring meaningful employment opportunities are available. Hahn and Raske (2005) state that social work needs to develop a research paradigm that values the inclusion of people with disabilities. This article examines these efforts by incorporating the voices of individuals with disabilities who accessed services at the Job Accommodation Network. Understanding individuals' perspectives could contribute to better accommodation outcomes for people with disabilities, employers, and advocacy professionals alike.

Anxiety of Preservice Teachers Teaching Students with Disabilities: A Preliminary Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everhart, Brett

2009-01-01

Preservice teachers have indicated that they are somewhat less comfortable working with students with disabilities. Research shows that curricular modifications in teacher education programs would enable preservice teachers to be more prepared for classrooms that include students with disabilities. Much of the work in teacher education dealing…

Treatment Strategies for Hispanic Developmentally Disabled Clients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Omdahl, Doris

Professionals who work with developmentally disabled Hispanic clients must enhance their own ability to work with ethnic minorities and become thoroughly familiar with the culture of the people they serve. To encourage disabled Hispanic individuals to apply for services, agencies can employ strategies such as bilingual capability, use of…

Visiting Teachers and Students with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanley, Summer G.

2011-01-01

The profession of school social work began in 1906 but was not recognized in federal legislation for students with disabilities until nearly 70 years later. However, since 1906, school social workers have worked with students considered at-risk for academic failure, including students with disabilities. This article highlights the beginning of the…

Intermediate Work Outcomes for Adolescents with High-Incidence Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojewski, Jay W.; Lee, In Heok; Gregg, Noel

2014-01-01

A longitudinal sample from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 was used to determine differences in work outcomes between (a) individuals with learning disabilities or emotional-behavior disorders and (b) individuals with or without disabilities. Twelve factors were arranged into individual, family, school-peer, and community categories.…

Job Satisfaction, Quality of Work Life and Work Motivation in Employees with Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Kocman, Andreas; Weber, Germain

2018-01-01

Current research on employment options for people with Intellectual Disability emphasizes the importance of employee needs and satisfaction. The study aims at systematically reviewing the literature on job satisfaction and related constructs. A systematic literature search was conducted. Studies were included if (i) they are specific to effects of work, (ii) assessed variables are related to job satisfaction, QoWL, attitudes towards work or work motivation and if (iii) studies reported intellectual disability-specific results. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings were classified according to the socio-cognitive model of job satisfaction. Current literature suggests high job satisfaction in people with intellectual disability. Predictors of job satisfaction are similar to people without disabilities, albeit the importance of factors differs. Stronger consideration of well-established theories and measures from organizational psychology would enhance future research. Findings indicate that high satisfaction ratings might result from lack of control over vocational decisions. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

20 CFR 220.170 - The trial work period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false The trial work period. 220.170 Section 220... DETERMINING DISABILITY Trial Work Period and Reentitlement Period for Annuitants Disabled for Any Regular Employment § 220.170 The trial work period. (a) Definition of the trial work period. The trial work period is...

The International Disability Rights Movement and the ICF.

PubMed

Hurst, Rachel

To outline the thinking of disabled people about their situation and status before the formulation of the ICIDH (International Classification of Impairment, Disability and Handicap) in 1980, the growth of the international disability rights movement since 1980, its subsequent involvement in the revision process and then its hopes as to the effectiveness of the ICF (the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-the revised ICIDH) in the future. This is a personal analysis based on the author's experience as a disability rights activist and as a member of the World Council of Disabled Peoples' International (DPI), elected in 1987 to represent DPI in the revision process and who later became Chair of the Environmental Task Force. These are shown to be a major shift from the medical model of disability to the adoption of the interactive model and the impacts of environmental factors in all aspects of health and functioning. That proper use of the environmental factors within the ICF will ensure appropriate policies, systems and services for health care and support, provide measurable indicators for health status and sustainable development and underpin the recognition that disability is a human rights issue.

Ability to Walk 1/4 Mile Predicts Subsequent Disability, Mortality, and Health Care Costs

PubMed Central

Kang, Yihuang; Studenski, Stephanie A.; Degenholtz, Howard B.

2010-01-01

ABSTRACT Background Mobility, such as walking 1/4 mile, is a valuable but underutilized health indicator among older adults. For mobility to be successfully integrated into clinical practice and health policy, an easily assessed marker that predicts subsequent health outcomes is required. Objective To determine the association between mobility, defined as self-reported ability to walk 1/4 mile, and mortality, functional decline, and health care utilization and costs during the subsequent year. Design Analysis of longitudinal data from the 2003–2004 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries. Participants Participants comprised 5895 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older enrolled in Medicare. Main Measures Mobility (self-reported ability to walk 1/4 mile), mortality, incident difficulty with activities of daily living (ADLs), total annual health care costs, and hospitalization rates. Key Results Among older adults, 28% reported difficulty and 17% inability to walk 1/4 mile at baseline. Compared to those without difficulty and adjusting for demographics, socioeconomic status, chronic conditions, and health behaviors, mortality was greater in those with difficulty [AOR (95% CI): 1.57 (1.10-2.24)] and inability [AOR (CI): 2.73 (1.79-4.15)]. New functional disability also occurred more frequently as self-reported ability to walk 1/4 mile declined (subsequent incident disability among those with no difficulty, difficulty, or inability to walk 1/4 mile at baseline was 11%, 29%, and 47% for instrumental ADLs, and 4%, 14%, and 23% for basic ADLs). Total annual health care costs were $2773 higher (95% CI $1443-4102) in persons with difficulty and $3919 higher (CI $1948-5890) in those who were unable. For each 100 persons, older adults reporting difficulty walking 1/4 mile at baseline experienced an additional 14 hospitalizations (95% CI 8-20), and those who were unable experienced an additional 22 hospitalizations (CI 14-30) during the follow-up period, compared to persons without walking difficulty. Conclusions Mobility disability, a simple self-report measure, is a powerful predictor of future health, function, and utilization independent of usual health and demographic indicators. Mobility disability may be used to target high-risk patients for care management and preventive interventions. PMID:20972641

Medicaid expenditures for the disabled under a work incentive program

PubMed Central

Andrews, Roxanne M.; Ruther, Martin; Baugh, David K.; Pine, Penelope L.; Rymer, Marilyn P.

1988-01-01

Congress enacted Section 1619 of the Social Security Act to enable the disabled receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to obtain jobs and still retain Medicaid health benefits. Congress intended this work incentive to remove the fear of the severely disabled that by obtaining employment they would lose Medicaid benefits. Based on data from 11 States, our analysis found that Medicaid expenditures for Section 1619 enrollees were relatively small and only one-half the average Medicaid expenditure for the disabled. Retaining Medicaid appears to provide a significant work incentive because Medicaid expenditures represent 13 percent of Section 1619 enrollees' earnings. PMID:10318077

Labor inclusion of individuals with disabilities: Managers' conceptions as a contributing factor.

PubMed

Brite, Roberta; Nunes, Francisco; Souza, Danielle

2015-01-01

This study aims to analyze the managers' conceptions involved in the process of labor inclusion in 18 supermarkets with 5,000 employees, 300 of whom with disabilities. A group of 90 managers working with people with disability completed a Conceptions of Disability Inventory (CDI) about their conceptions of people with disabilities. Their responses were categorized as follows: (a) disability as a spiritual manifestation; b) disability as a deviation from normality; (c) disability based on assumptions of inclusion; (d) disability assessed from performance criteria; (e) disability assessed from the connection established with the work organization; (f) disability conceived by contracting benefits, and (g) disability based on the perception of the need for training. Based on the outcomes of the Pearson Correlation Matrix, significant linear correlations were found in seven managers' conceptions of disability. The results also indicate that the managers' conceptions contributed to differentiated inclusionist actions based on their perceptions related to people with disabilities. This study data contributes to identifying the best practices in labor inclusion. The outcomes of the present study could lead to development of a public policy aimed towards humanizing job alternatives for people with disability.

Physical and Mental Health Status of Staff Working for People with Intellectual Disabilities in Taiwan: Measurement with the 36-Item Short-Form (SF-36) Health Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Jin-Ding; Lee, Tzong-Nan; Loh, Ching-Hui; Yen, Chia-Feng; Hsu, Shang-Wei; Wu, Jia-Ling; Tang, Chi-Chieh; Lin, Lan-Ping; Chu, Cordia M.; Wu, Sheng-Ru

2009-01-01

Little explicit attention has been given to the generic health profile of staff working for people with intellectual disability in institutions. This study aimed to provide a profile of physical and mental health of staff working in disability welfare institutions, and to examine the possible demographic and organizational factors that explain an…

The Association Between Self-Assessed Future Work Ability and Long-Term Sickness Absence, Disability Pension and Unemployment in a General Working Population: A 7-Year Follow-Up Study.

PubMed

Lundin, A; Kjellberg, K; Leijon, O; Punnett, L; Hemmingsson, T

2016-06-01

Purpose Work ability is commonly measured with self-assessments, in the form of indices or single items. The validity of these assessments lies in their predictive ability. Prospective studies have reported associations between work ability and sickness absence and disability pension, but few examined why these associations exist. Several correlates of work ability have been reported, but their mechanistic role is largely unknown. This study aims to investigate to what extent individual's own prognosis of work ability predicts labor market participation and whether this was due to individual characteristics and/or working conditions. Methods Self-assessed prognosis of work ability, 2 years from "now," in the Stockholm Public Health Questionnaire (2002-2003) was linked to national registers on sickness absence, disability pension and unemployment up to year 2010. Effects were studied with Cox regression models. Results Of a total of 12,064 individuals 1466 reported poor work ability. There were 299 cases of disability pension, 1466 long-term sickness absence cases and 765 long-term unemployed during follow-up. Poor work ability increased the risk of long-term sickness absence (HR 2.25, CI 95 % 1.97-2.56), disability pension (HR 5.19, CI 95 % 4.07-6.62), and long-term unemployment (HR 2.18, CI 95 % 1.83-2.60). These associations were partially explained by baseline health conditions, physical and (less strongly) psychosocial aspects of working conditions. Conclusions Self-assessed poor ability predicted future long-term sickness absence, disability pension and long-term unemployment. Self-assessed poor work ability seems to be an indicator of future labor market exclusion of different kinds, and can be used in public health monitoring.

Disparities in Insurance Coverage, Health Services Use, and Access Following Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: A Comparison of Disabled and Nondisabled Working-Age Adults

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Jae; Wood, Elizabeth Geneva; Frieden, Lex

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess trends in health insurance coverage, health service utilization, and health care access among working-age adults with and without disabilities before and after full implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and to identify current disability-based disparities following full implementation of the ACA. The ACA was expected to have a disproportionate impact on working-age adults with disabilities, because of their high health care usage as well as their previously limited insurance options. However, most published research on this population does not systematically look at effects before and after full implementation of the ACA. As the US Congress considers new health policy reforms, current and accurate data on this vulnerable population are essential. Weighted estimates, trend analyses and analytic models were conducted using the 1998-2016 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS) and the 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Compared with working-age adults without disabilities, those with disabilities are less likely to work, more likely to earn below the federal poverty level, and more likely to use public insurance. Average health costs for this population are 3 to 7 times higher, and access problems are far more common. Repeal of key features of the ACA, like Medicaid expansion and marketplace subsidies, would likely diminish health care access for working-age adults with disabilities. PMID:29166812

IBD-related work disability in the community: Prevalence, severity and predictive factors. A cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Ramos, Alexis; Sicilia, Beatriz; Vergara, Mercedes; Figuerola, Ariadna; Motos, Jaume; Sastre, Adoración; Villoria, Albert; Gomollón, Fernando

2015-01-01

Background and aims Data on the prevalence of work disability in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are heterogeneous. As most studies have been performed in selected, often severe, IBD patients, the true prevalence of disability in the community remains controversial. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of disability and its predictive factors in a community-based IBD population. Patients and methods Patients recorded in the community-based IBD register at the Hospital Universitario de Burgos were contacted. After informed consent they completed a set of questionnaires including demographic, clinical, disability and quality of life data. The statistical study was performed using SPSS 21. Results A total of 293 patients were included – 151 Crohn's disease (CD), 142 ulcerative colitis (UC), 137 female, mean age: 45 ± 11 years, mean time since diagnosis: 10.6 ± 11 years. Twelve patients (4.1%) had a work-disability pension. In addition, 93 (32%) of all patients had an officially recognized disability degree, which was generally moderate (n = 73, 25%) or severe (N = 16, 5%). Age, time since IBD diagnosis, CD, perianal disease, incontinence, active disease, the need for anti-TNF or psychological treatment, previous surgeries and the number of diagnostic tests and medical visits in the previous year were predictors of disability. Major predictors of qualifying for a disability pension were age, IBD activity, incontinence, need for biological drugs and ostomy. Conclusion Mild to moderate work disability is frequent in IBD. However, only a minority of patients develop severe disability qualifying them for a pension. PMID:26279841

Attitudes towards people with physical or intellectual disabilities among nursing, social work and medical students.

PubMed

Kritsotakis, George; Galanis, Petros; Papastefanakis, Emmanouil; Meidani, Flora; Philalithis, Anastas E; Kalokairinou, Athena; Sourtzi, Panayota

2017-12-01

To examine and compare undergraduate healthcare students' attitudes towards people with physical or intellectual disabilities in Greece. The experience that people with disabilities have with health care is a complex interaction between their medical condition and the social and physical environment. Attitudes of the nursing and healthcare staff affect the quality of care and people's adaptation to their disability, self-image and rehabilitation outcomes. Descriptive cross-sectional survey. Nursing, Social Work and Medicine students (N = 1007, 79.4% female) attending three universities (Athens, Crete) completed during 2014-2016 two standardised scales regarding physical (ATDP-B) and intellectual disability (CLAS-ID). Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Attitudes towards people with physical disabilities in Greece (ATDP-B scores) were poor with scores just above the mid-point. Medical studies and higher knowledge and work with individuals with physical disabilities signified marginally more positive attitudes. Gender and age displayed no associations with attitudes. Regarding intellectual disability (CLAS-ID scores), nursing students had slightly less positive attitudes in "Similarity" but more positive attitudes in "Sheltering" subscales. Previous work and contact was related to more favourable and higher age to less favourable "Similarity" and "Sheltering" attitudes. Males had higher "Exclusion" scores. Those who knew people with intellectual disabilities had less favourable "Empowerment" attitudes. Knowledge was related to more positive attitudes in all four CLAS-ID subscales. Greek health and social care students showed poor attitudes towards people with physical and intellectual disability. When holding unfavourable attitudes, healthcare professionals become less involved with the people they care for and they do not provide nursing care to the best of their abilities. Undergraduate and continuing education, along with workplace enhancements, should aim to provide high-quality health care to people with disabilities. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

'It's our everyday life' - The perspectives of persons with intellectual disabilities in Norway.

PubMed

Witsø, Aud Elisabeth; Hauger, Brit

2018-01-01

This study illuminates how adults with intellectual disabilities understand and describe their everyday life and its shortcomings when it comes to equal rights in the context of Norwegian community living. An inclusive research design, including nine persons with mild intellectual disability, two university researchers and two intellectual disability nurses from the municipality, was undertaken. An inductive thematic analysis of data identified three key themes: everyday life - context, rhythm and structure, social participation and staff - an ambiguous part of everyday life. Results show that service provision had institutional qualities; participants experienced lack of information and reduced possibilities for social inclusion and community participation like everyone else. More attention on the role of policy development, support staff and leadership, in relation to facilitating an everyday life with more user involvement, social inclusion and community participation of people needing support, is essential. Participatory, appreciative, action and reflection in workshops for persons with intellectual disabilities and support staff represent a promising approach to promote the voices and interests of persons with intellectual disabilities. Accessible abstract This article tells you about the everyday life of people with intellectual disabilities living in Norway. Nine people with intellectual disabilities worked together with two university researchers and two intellectual disability nurses in the community, in workshops. The people with intellectual disabilities liked to have their own apartment and going to work every day. They said that they wanted more social participation with friends and more participation in activities in the community, just like everyone else. They wanted to be treated with more respect by their staff. All participants in the project saw great value in working together and some of them are working together in a new project about involvement in the improvement of support services for people with intellectual disabilities.

Manual work as predictor for disability pensioning with osteoarthritis among the employed in Norway 1971-1990.

PubMed

Holte, H H; Tambs, K; Bjerkedal, T

2000-06-01

Manual work is reported to be a risk factor for becoming a disability pensioner due to osteoarthritis. This association may be due to covariation with other variables. We wanted to assess if manual work remained a risk factor after adjusting for number of hours worked, income, level of education, gender and marital status, and if the risk associated with manual work was equal in the 1970s and the 1980s. In a prospective study, data on all new disability pensioners with osteoarthritis in Norway during the two follow-up periods, 1971-1980 and 1981-1990, were analysed by logistic regression. The study include data on all subjects living in Norway and registered as 50-56 years old and employed either in the census collected in 1970 or in the census of 1980. Manual workers have nearly twice the probability of becoming a disability pensioner with osteoarthritis compared to professionals after adjusting for part-time work, income, level of education, marital status and gender. Adjusted for other risk factors, the probability of becoming a disability pensioner with osteoarthritis was three times higher in the 1980s compared to the 1970s. The relatively strong association between manual work and disability pensioning with osteoarthritis suggests difficulties in adjusting manual work patterns for a person with osteoarthritis, which may have increased during the study period as implied by the separate effect of the 1980s.

Learning disabled and average readers' working memory and comprehension: does metacognition play a role?

PubMed

Swanson, H L; Trahan, M

1996-09-01

The present study investigates (a) whether learning disabled readers' working memory deficits that underlie poor reading comprehension are related to a general system, and (b) whether metacognition contributes to comprehension beyond what is predicted by working memory and word knowledge. To this end, performance between learning and disabled (N = 60) and average readers (N = 60) was compared on the reading comprehension, reading rate, and vocabulary subtests of the Nelson Skills Reading Test, Sentence Span test composed of high and low imagery words, and a Metacognitive Questionnaire. As expected, differences between groups in working memory, vocabulary, and reading measures emerged, whereas ability groups were statistically comparable on the Metacognitive Questionnaire. A within-group analysis indicated that the correlation patterns between working memory, vocabulary, metacognition, and reading comprehension were not the same between ability groups. For predicting reading comprehension, the metacognitive questionnaire best predicted learning disabled readers' performance, whereas the working memory span measure that included low-imagery words best predicted average achieving readers' comprehension. Overall, the results suggest that the relationship between learning disabled readers' generalised working memory deficits and poor reading comprehension may be mediated by metacognition.

Effects of illness and disability on job separation.

PubMed

Magee, William

2004-03-01

Effects of illness and disability on job separation result from both voluntary and involuntary processes. Voluntary processes range from the reasoned actions of workers who weigh illness and disability in their decision-making, to reactive stress-avoidance responses. Involuntary processes include employer discrimination against ill or disabled workers. Analyses of the effects of illness and disability that differentiate reasons for job separation can illuminate the processes involved. This paper reports on an evaluation of effects of illness and disability on job separation predicted by theories of reasoned action, stress, and employer discrimination against ill and disabled workers. Effects of four illness/disability conditions on the rate of job separation for 12 reasons are estimated using data from a longitudinal study of a representative sample of the Canadian population-the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID). Two of the four effects that are statistically significant (under conservative Bayesian criteria for statistical significance) are consistent with the idea that workers weigh illness and disability as costs, and calculate the costs and benefits of continuing to work with an illness or disability: (1) disabling illness increases the hazard of leaving a job in order to engage in caregiving, and (2) work-related disability increases the hazard of leaving a job due to poor pay. The other two significant effects indicate that: (3) disabling illness decreases the hazard of layoff, and (4) non-work disability increases the hazard of leaving one job to take a different job. This last effect is consistent with a stress-interruption process. Other effects are statistically significant under conventional criteria for statistical significance, and most of these effects are also consistent with cost-benefit and stress theories. Some effects of illness and disability are sex and age-specific, and reasons for the specificity of these effects are discussed.

'Limbitless Solutions': the Prosthetic Arm, Iron Man and the Science Fiction of Technoscience.

PubMed

Smith, Susan

2016-12-01

Early last year, a non-profit organisation called 'Limbitless Solutions' modelled a 3D printed prosthetic arm on a fighting suit that features in the popular superhero film series, Iron Man (2008-2013). In addition, 'Limbitless Solutions' resourcefully deployed the fictional character and inventor of the Iron Man suit, weapons specialist and philanthropist, Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr, in a celebrity/superhero endorsed promotional short film, showing 'Tony', the 'real Iron Man', gifting the futuristic military styled 'gauntlet' to Alex, a 7-year-old boy with a partially developed right arm. Engaging with scholarly work on the science fiction of technoscience, prostheses and the posthuman, and disability and DIY assistive technology, I analyse 'Limbitless Solutions' use of science fiction in a high-profile media event that problematically portrays an impaired child 'in need' of 'repair' and subsequently 'fixed' by technology. Overall, the aim is to integrate science fiction tropes, such as the wounded hero, the fighting suit and prosthetic arm, with disability studies, to highlight the sustained challenges that emerging theories of disability and technology face as contemporary economic, political and ideological forces endorse and promote militarised images of cyborg assimilation over human variation and physical difference. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Disclosure, accommodations and self-care at work among adolescents with disabilities.

PubMed

Lindsay, Sally; McDougall, Carolyn; Sanford, Robyn

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore whether adolescents with disabilities disclose their condition and what types of accommodations are requested at work. In-depth, qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 adolescents with a physical and/or mobility-related disability. We also reviewed their self- and staff assessments completed throughout an employment training program in which they took part. The findings show that most youth were able to disclose their conditions and recognize some of their limitations in performing tasks at work. Youth requested physical accommodations, more time to complete tasks and cognitive accommodations. Youth also performed several self-care tasks to manage their disability at work including personal care, pain management and fatigue. Within the context of this employment training program, youth were able to disclose their condition to their employer, ask for accommodations and manage their disability in the workplace. Educators and clinicians should: Assist youth in understanding whether, when and how to disclose their disability to their potential employer. Help youth to understand what accommodations are available to them in the workplace and how to access them, to help them to perform their job effectively. Coach youth on how to manage their disability in a work context, especially with regard to personal care, pain management and fatigue. Encourage and facilitate participation in experience-based opportunities to practice disclosure, requesting accommodations and self-management.

Socioeconomic impact of road traffic injuries in West Africa: exploratory data from Nigeria.

PubMed

Juillard, Catherine; Labinjo, Mariam; Kobusingye, Olive; Hyder, Adnan A

2010-12-01

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are increasingly contributing to the burden of disease in sub-Saharan Africa, yet little is known about the economic consequences and disability associated with them. To explore cost and disability consequences of RTIs in Nigeria. A population-based survey using two-stage stratified cluster sampling. SUBJECT/SETTING: Information on care-seeking choice, cost of treatment, ability to work, reduction in earnings, and disability were collected on 127 subjects who had suffered an RTI, of 3082 study subjects in seven Nigerian states. Univariate analysis was used to estimate frequency of disability, types of care sought, and trends for work lost, functional ability and cost of treatment. Unadjusted bivariate analysis was performed to explore care-seeking, cost of care, and work lost among disabled and non-disabled people. RTIs resulted in disability for 29.1% of subjects, while 13.5% were unable to return to work. Of the disabled people, 67.6% were unable to perform activities of daily living, 16.7% consequently lost their jobs, and 88.6% had a reduction in earnings. Private physician and hospital treatment were the most common forms of initial treatment sought, but traditional treatment was the most common second form of care sought. Average direct costs of informal and formal treatment were US$6.65 and US$35.64, respectively. Disabled people were more likely to seek formal care (p=0.003) and be unable to work (p=0.002). Economic and functional ramifications must be included in the spectrum of consequences of RTIs to fully appreciate the extent of the burden of disease, implying that health systems should not only address the clinical consequences of RTIs, but the financial ones as well.

Health- and work-related predictors of work disability among employees with a cardiometabolic disease--A cohort study.

PubMed

Ervasti, Jenni; Kivimäki, Mika; Pentti, Jaana; Salo, Paula; Oksanen, Tuula; Vahtera, Jussi; Virtanen, Marianna

2016-03-01

The proportion of aging employees with cardiometabolic diseases, such as heart or cerebrovascular disease, diabetes and chronic hypertension is on the rise. We explored the extent to which health- and work-related factors were associated with the risk of disability pension among individuals with such cardiometabolic disease. A cohort of 4798 employees with and 9716 employees without a cardiometabolic disease were followed up for 7years (2005-2011) for disability pension. For these participants, register and survey data (from 2004) were linked to records on disability pensions. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used for estimating the hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Individuals with heart or cerebrovascular disease had 2.88-fold (95% CI=2.50-3.31) higher risk of all-cause disability pension compared to employees with no cardiometabolic disease. Diabetes was associated with a 1.84-fold (95% CI=1.52-2.23) and hypertension a 1.50-fold (95% CI=1.31-1.72) increased risk of disability pension. Obesity in cases of diabetes and hypertension (15%) and psychological distress in cases of heart or cerebrovascular disease (9%) were the strongest contributing factors. All 12 health- and work-related risk factors investigated accounted for 24% of the excess work disability in hypertension, 28% in diabetes, and 11% in heart or cerebrovascular disease. Cause-specific analyses (disability pension due to mental, musculoskeletal and circulatory system diseases) yielded similar results. In this study, modifiable risk factors, such as obesity and mental comorbidity, predicted permanent exit from the labor market due to disability in individuals with cardiometabolic disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Groupwork with Learning Disabilities: Creative Drama. A Winslow Practical Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesner, Anna

This British book discusses the value of creative drama for people with learning disabilities, offers some basic principles of working with people with learning disabilities, and describes a variety of approaches to drama. An introduction discusses the optimal size of a creative drama group, the kind of work space needed, equipment, membership,…

Putting Disability Studies to Work in Art Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penketh, Claire

2014-01-01

Putting disability studies to work in art education suggests a form of action or industry, a creative opportunity for something to be done, recognising the relationship between theory and practice. Drawing on discourse analysis, this article offers an initial theoretical discussion of some of the ways in which disability is revealed and created…

From High School to College to Work: Students with Disabilities in High Tech Fields.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgstahler, Sheryl; Wild, Nellie; Smallman, Julie

This paper describes DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology), a cooperative program of the University of Washington and the High School/High Tech program to increase the career success of individuals with disabilities by providing access to technology, career preparation activities, and work experiences. DO-IT works…

Keeping Them Happy: Job Satisfaction, Personality, and Attitudes toward Disability in Predicting Counselor Job Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Emily R.; Glidden, Laraine M.; Jobe, Brian M.

2006-01-01

Employee retention was studied in 48 counselors working at a summer camp for children and adults with disabilities. We hypothesized that attitudes toward persons with disabilities, personality characteristics of counselors, job satisfaction, and previous counselor experience would predict whether counselors would elect to return to work the…

Semantic and visual memory codes in learning disabled readers.

PubMed

Swanson, H L

1984-02-01

Two experiments investigated whether learning disabled readers' impaired recall is due to multiple coding deficiencies. In Experiment 1, learning disabled and skilled readers viewed nonsense pictures without names or with either relevant or irrelevant names with respect to the distinctive characteristics of the picture. Both types of names improved recall of nondisabled readers, while learning disabled readers exhibited better recall for unnamed pictures. No significant difference in recall was found between name training (relevant, irrelevant) conditions within reading groups. In Experiment 2, both reading groups participated in recall training for complex visual forms labeled with unrelated words, hierarchically related words, or without labels. A subsequent reproduction transfer task showed a facilitation in performance in skilled readers due to labeling, with learning disabled readers exhibiting better reproduction for unnamed pictures. Measures of output organization (clustering) indicated that recall is related to the development of superordinate categories. The results suggest that learning disabled children's reading difficulties are due to an inability to activate a semantic representation that interconnects visual and verbal codes.

The association between physical medicine and rehabilitation service utilization and disability duration following work-related fracture.

PubMed

Young, Amanda; Muhlner, Stasia; Kurowski, Alicia; Cifuentes, Manuel

2015-06-05

Rural residents with work-related fractures utilize healthcare differently and return to work (RTW) sooner than their similarly-injured urban peers. To elucidate the relationship between physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) service usage and work-disability duration following work-related injury. Retrospective cohort study, employing a two-phase sequential analysis. The project involved a longitudinal analysis of PM&R utilization and work-disability duration of 2,216 people across the U.S. who fractured a bone, received PM&R services, and had at least seven days off work. In the first phase of the analysis each individual was assigned a PM&R utilization score based on how similar his or her usage was to that typical of rural residents. The second phase tested the relationship between assigned PM&R utilization scores and work-disability duration. Differences in urban versus rural PM&R utilization included less total PM&R services and fewer passive services in the first 8 weeks for rural claimants. Among those off work for more than a month, rural residents used more active services just prior to RTW, with a gradual decreasing of services leading up to RTW. Controlling for covariates, aggregate PM&R utilization scores were found to relate to time to first RTW (Hazard Ratio=1.66, p<0.005). Findings suggest that using services in a way that is more consistent with rural patterns is associated with decreased work-disability durations. Consistent with previous studies, results suggest that passive services, prolonged episodes of care, and failure to focus on transitioning to self-management are related to longer work-disability durations.

Work-related measures of physical and behavioral health function: Test-retest reliability.

PubMed

Marino, Molly Elizabeth; Meterko, Mark; Marfeo, Elizabeth E; McDonough, Christine M; Jette, Alan M; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Brandt, Diane E; Chan, Leighton

2015-10-01

The Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for potential use by the US Social Security Administration to assess work-related function, currently consists of five multi-item scales assessing physical function and four multi-item scales assessing behavioral health function; the WD-FAB scales are administered as Computerized Adaptive Tests (CATs). The goal of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the WD-FAB Physical Function and Behavioral Health CATs. We administered the WD-FAB scales twice, 7-10 days apart, to a sample of 376 working age adults and 316 adults with work-disability. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to measure the consistency of the scores between the two administrations. Standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC90) were also calculated to measure the scales precision and sensitivity. For the Physical Function CAT scales, the ICCs ranged from 0.76 to 0.89 in the working age adult sample, and 0.77-0.86 in the sample of adults with work-disability. ICCs for the Behavioral Health CAT scales ranged from 0.66 to 0.70 in the working age adult sample, and 0.77-0.80 in the adults with work-disability. The SEM ranged from 3.25 to 4.55 for the Physical Function scales and 5.27-6.97 for the Behavioral Health function scales. For all scales in both samples, the MDC90 ranged from 7.58 to 16.27. Both the Physical Function and Behavioral Health CATs of the WD-FAB demonstrated good test-retest reliability in adults with work-disability and general adult samples, a critical requirement for assessing work related functioning in disability applicants and in other contexts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Work-related measures of Physical and Behavioral Health Function: Test-Retest Reliability

PubMed Central

Marino, Molly Elizabeth; Meterko, Mark; Marfeo, Elizabeth E.; McDonough, Christine M.; Jette, Alan M.; Ni, Pengsheng; Bogusz, Kara; Rasch, Elizabeth K.; Brandt, Diane E.; Chan, Leighton

2015-01-01

Background The Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for potential use by the US Social Security Administration to assess work-related function, currently consists of five multi-item scales assessing physical function and four multi-item scales assessing behavioral health function; the WD-FAB scales are administered as Computerized Adaptive Tests (CATs). Objective The goal of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the WD-FAB Physical Function and Behavioral Health CATs. Methods We administered the WD-FAB scales twice, 7–10 days apart, to a sample of 376 working age adults and 316 adults with work-disability. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated to measure the consistency of the scores between the two administrations. Standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC90) were also calculated to measure the scales precision and sensitivity. Results For the Physical Function CAT scales, the ICCs ranged from 0.76–0.89 in the working age adult sample, and 0.77–0.86 in the sample of adults with work-disability. ICCs for the Behavioral Health CAT scales ranged from 0.66–0.70 in the working age adult sample, and 0.77–0.80 in the adults with work-disability. The SEM ranged from 3.25–4.55 for the Physical Function scales and 5.27–6.97 for the Behavioral Health function scales. For all scales in both samples, the MDC90 ranged from 7.58–16.27. Conclusion Both the Physical Function and Behavioral Health CATs of the WD-FAB demonstrated good test-retest reliability in adults with work-disability and general adult samples, a critical requirement for assessing work related functioning in disability applicants and in other contexts. PMID:25991419

Auditory and Visual Working Memory Functioning in College Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and/or Learning Disabilities.

PubMed

Liebel, Spencer W; Nelson, Jason M

2017-12-01

We investigated the auditory and visual working memory functioning in college students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, and clinical controls. We examined the role attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder subtype status played in working memory functioning. The unique influence that both domains of working memory have on reading and math abilities was investigated. A sample of 268 individuals seeking postsecondary education comprise four groups of the present study: 110 had an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis only, 72 had a learning disability diagnosis only, 35 had comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and learning disability diagnoses, and 60 individuals without either of these disorders comprise a clinical control group. Participants underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation, and licensed psychologists employed a multi-informant, multi-method approach in obtaining diagnoses. In the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder only group, there was no difference between auditory and visual working memory functioning, t(100) = -1.57, p = .12. In the learning disability group, however, auditory working memory functioning was significantly weaker compared with visual working memory, t(71) = -6.19, p < .001, d = -0.85. Within the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder only group, there were no auditory or visual working memory functioning differences between participants with either a predominantly inattentive type or a combined type diagnosis. Visual working memory did not incrementally contribute to the prediction of academic achievement skills. Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder did not demonstrate significant working memory differences compared with clinical controls. Individuals with a learning disability demonstrated weaker auditory working memory than individuals in either the attention-deficit/hyperactivity or clinical control groups. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Conceptions of Work in Italian Adults with Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrari, Lea; Nota, Laura; Soresi, Salvatore

2008-01-01

People's ideas about work can greatly affect the ways in which they characterize their own work experience and their lives. The first aim of the present study was to analyze the concept of work in individuals with mild or moderate intellectual disability working in competitive or sheltered work settings and, second, to compare the notions of work…

Funding of Assistive Technology to Make Work a Reality, Part II: Using the Americans with Disabilities Act to Fund AT. Policy & Practice Brief #13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hager, Ronald M.

2004-01-01

This is a continuation of "Funding of Assistive Technology to Make Work a Reality" (Work and AT), Article # 3 in this Policy and Practice Brief Series. This article will review the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), with a particular emphasis on how the ADA can be used to ensure that a person with a disability has…

Empowerment variables for rehabilitation clients on perceived beliefs concerning work quality of life domains.

PubMed

Tschopp, Molly K; Frain, Michael P; Bishop, Malachy

2009-01-01

This article describes and presents an initial analysis of variables generally associated with empowerment towards perceived beliefs concerning quality of life work domains for individuals with disabilities. The model examines the domains of importance, satisfaction, control and degree of interference of disability that an individual feels towards work. The internet based study used results from 70 individuals with disabilities in varying aspects of work. The variables composing empowerment that correlated strongly with the work domains include: self-advocacy, self-efficacy, perceived stigma, and family resiliency as measured through coping. Quality of Life concerning work was measured through the DSC-C a domain specific QOL instrument.

The role of learning disability nurses in promoting cervical screening uptake in women with intellectual disabilities: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Lloyd, Jennifer L; Coulson, Neil S

2014-06-01

Research suggests that the uptake of cervical screening by women with intellectual disabilities (commonly known as learning disabilities within UK policy frameworks, practice areas and health services) is poor compared to women without intellectual disabilities. The present study explored learning disability nurses' experiences of supporting women with intellectual disabilities to access cervical screening in order to examine their role in promoting attendance and elucidate potential barriers and facilitators to uptake. Ten participants recruited from a specialist learning disability service completed a semi-structured interview and data were analysed using experiential thematic analysis. Identified individual barriers included limited health literacy, negative attitudes and beliefs and competing demands; barriers attributed to primary care professionals included time pressures, limited exposure to people with intellectual disabilities and lack of appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills. Attendance at cervical screening was facilitated by prolonged preparation work undertaken by learning disability nurses, helpful clinical behaviours in the primary care context and effective joint working. © The Author(s) 2014.

Disability-based discrimination and health: findings from an Australian-based population study.

PubMed

Krnjacki, Lauren; Priest, Naomi; Aitken, Zoe; Emerson, Eric; Llewellyn, Gwynnyth; King, Tania; Kavanagh, Anne

2018-04-01

Among working-age Australian adults with a disability, we assess the association between disability-based discrimination and both overall health and psychological distress. Using data from the 2015 Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers we estimated the proportion of working-age women and men (15-64 years) with disability who report disability-based discrimination by socio-demographic characteristics and assessed the association between disability-based discrimination and self-reported health and psychological distress. Nearly 14% of Australians with disability reported disability-based discrimination in the previous year. Disability-based discrimination was more common among people living in more disadvantaged circumstances (unemployed, low income, lower-status occupations), younger people and people born in English-speaking countries. Disability-based discrimination was associated with higher levels of psychological distress (OR: 2.53, 95%CI: 2.11, 3.02) and poorer self-reported health (OR: 1.63, 95%CI: 1.37, 1.95). Disability-based discrimination is a prevalent, important determinant of health for Australians with disability. Implications for public health: Disability-based discrimination is an under-recognised public health problem that is likely to contribute to disability-based health inequities. Public health policy, research and practice needs to concentrate efforts on developing policy and programs that reduce discrimination experienced by Australians with disability. © 2017 The Authors.

Harms to “Others” and the Selection Against Disability View

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Abstract In recent years, the question of whether prospective parents might have a moral obligation to select against disability in their offspring has piqued the attention of many prominent philosophers and bioethicists, and a large literature has emerged surrounding this question. Rather than looking to the most common arguments given in support of a positive response to the abovementioned question, such as those focusing on the harms disability may impose on the child created, duties and role-specific obligations, and impersonal ‘harms’, a less commonly made set of arguments is focused upon which looks to the harms that a decision not to select against disability may impose on others. Three different possible arguments supporting a limited duty of disability avoidance are thus identified and subsequently explored: harms to parents themselves, harms to existing family members, and harms to other existing members of society. PMID:28180274

77 FR 1862 - Mailing of Tickets Under the Ticket to Work Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-12

... Tickets Under the Ticket to Work Program AGENCY: Social Security Administration. ACTION: Interim final... Ticket to Work (Ticket) to disabled beneficiaries for participation in the Ticket to Work program (Ticket... beneficiaries who are most likely to return to work. We will send a Ticket to any eligible disabled beneficiary...

Mathematical models in simulation process in rehabilitation of persons with disabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorie, Nina; Dolga, Valer; Mondoc, Alina

2012-11-01

The problems of people with disability are varied. A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these. The major disabilities which can appear in people's lives are: the blindness, the deafness, the limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, the orthopedic impairment, the visual impairment. A disability is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions. A disability may occur during a person's lifetime or may be present from birth. The authors conclude that some of these disabilities like physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental can be rehabilitated. Starting from this state of affairs the authors present briefly the possibility of using certain mechatronic systems for rehabilitation of persons with different disabilities. The authors focus their presentation on alternative calling the Stewart platform in order to achieve the proposed goal. The authors present a mathematical model of systems theory approach under the parallel system and described its contents can. The authors analyze in a meaningful mathematical model describing the procedure of rehabilitation process. From the affected function biomechanics and taking into account medical recommendations the authors illustrate the mathematical models of rehabilitation work. The authors assemble a whole mathematical model of parallel structure and the rehabilitation process and making simulation and highlighting the results estimated. The authors present in the end work the results envisaged in the end analysis work, conclusions and steps for future work program..

The association of food insecurity with health outcomes for adults with disabilities.

PubMed

Brucker, Debra L

2017-04-01

Adults with disabilities are more likely to live in households that are food insecure and are more likely to experience health disparities than adults without disabilities. Research examining the intersection of food insecurity and health outcomes for adults with disabilities has so far been lacking, however. The research presented here tests whether living in a food insecure household is associated with poorer self-reported health and mental health and different health care utilization, controlling for disability status and other sociodemographic characteristics. Multivariate regression analyses are conducted using linked data from the 2011 National Health Interview Survey and the 2012 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey. Adults with and without disabilities who live in food insecure households have higher odds of reporting fair or poor health or mental health in either the current year or the subsequent year. Health care utilization patterns differ for adults who are food insecure as well, both within and across years. Efforts to address health disparities among adults with disabilities should consider the possible additional impact of food insecurity on health outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Disabilities in the workplace: recruitment, accommodation, and retention.

PubMed

Davis, Linda

2005-07-01

Who has never had a need for accommodation to perform a job because of age-related changes, gender issues related to family care, religious practices, health status, or disability? Who has never had the benefit of universal accommodations designed to provide access for individuals with disabilities, such as using the handicap button to open a door when one's arms are loaded? All of society has had the benefit of inclusion of individuals with disabilities within the work force. Occupational health nurses are essential to accommodating new employees with disabilities, assisting ill or injured employees in returning to work, and changing attitudes toward disabled workers. Additionally, nurses have the skills and knowledge for leading and managing newly emerging disease management programs for workers with disabilities caused by chronic illness.

Early Adolescence to Early Adulthood: Volume 5, The Best of ACLD. Selected Papers from the International Conference of the Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities (20th, Washington, District of Columbia, 1983). First Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cruickshank, William M., Ed.; Kliebhan, Joanne Marie, Ed.

Fifteen author-contributed papers focus on the learning disabled adolescent and young adult. The first section provides a general overview while subsequent sections address educational and social techniques, steps to employment, and programs for adolescents. The following titles and authors are included: "Prevention: Primary, Secondary, or…

The identification of job opportunities for severely disabled sick-listed employees

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Work disability is a major problem for both the worker and society. To explore the work opportunities in regular jobs of persons low in functional abilities, we tried to identify occupations low in task demands. Because of the variety of functional abilities and of the corresponding work demands, the disabled persons need to be classified by type of disability in a limited number of subgroups. Within each subgroup, occupations judged suitable for the most seriously disabled will be selected as having a very low level of the corresponding task demands. These occupations can be applied as reference occupations to assess the presence or absence of work capacity of sick-listed employees in regular jobs, and as job opportunities for people with a specific type of functional disability. Methods Registered data from 50,931 disability assessments within the Dutch social security system were used in a second order factor analysis to identify types of disabilities in claimants for a disability pension. Threshold values were chosen to classify claimants according to the severity of the disability. In the disability assessment procedure, a labour expert needs to select jobs with task demands not exceeding the functional abilities of the claimant. For each type of disability, the accessible jobs for the subgroup of the most severely disabled claimants were identified as lowest in the corresponding demand. Results The factor analysis resulted in four types of disabilities: general physical ability; autonomy; psychological ability; and manual skills. For each of these types of disablement, a set of four to six occupations low in task demands were selected for the subgroup of most severely disabled claimants. Because of an overlap of the sets of occupations, 13 occupations were selected in total. The percentage of claimants with at least one of the occupations of the corresponding set (the coverage), ranged from 84% to 93%. An alternative selection of six occupations for all subgroups with even less overlap had a coverage ranging from 84% to 89% per subgroup. Conclusion This study resulted in two proposals for a set of reference occupations. Further research will be needed to compare the results of the new method of disability assessment to the results of the method presently used in practice. PMID:22394686

Employment status of women with disabilities from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (1995-2002).

PubMed

Smith, Diane Lynn

2007-01-01

Among working aged adults (18-64) with disabilities, three out of 10 (32%) work full or part-time, compared to eight out of 10 (81%) of those without disabilities [9]. In addition, 24.7% of women with a severe disability and 27.8% of men with a severe disability are employed, while women with a non-severe disability have an employment rate of 68.4% and men with a non-severe disability have an employment rate of 85.1% [14]. This study examined data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey from 1995-2002 to determine whether or not disparities exist in the rate of unemployment for women with disabilities, compared to men with disabilities and women and men without disabilities. In addition, regression analysis looked at the how disability and gender predict the outcome of unemployment. Results showed that there has been essentially no change with regard to employment for any of these populations. In addition, disability and gender were found to be the strongest predictors of unemployment for women with disabilities. Possible explanations were discussed as to the reasons for the results and issues were presented for future research.

Issues for the future. Putting the jigsaw together.

PubMed

1998-07-01

Oxfam's efforts to support organizations working with disabled people in Bosnia highlight the necessity of taking into account other forms of disadvantage that increase vulnerability, such as gender, when planning interventions. When Oxfam began working in Bosnia in 1993, disability was widely perceived as a medical rather than a social development issue. An Oxfam-inspired inter-Association project set up the Lotos Resource Center to create badly needed joint social space and office space for vocational training. Realizing that it was difficult to reach women with disabilities, Oxfam representatives made home visits to encourage women to participate in activities. Oxfam also actively co-opted women to join the steering committee. This work gave Oxfam a better understanding of the fact that a diversity of needs exists for disabled men and women, for able-bodied women caring for disabled partners, and for women caring for disabled children. Lessons learned include 1) people with disabilities are not homogeneous in their needs; 2) it is essential to take positive action to involve disabled women; 3) gender and disability analysis must be inclusive and must consider different sources of marginalization or else marginalization will be reinforced; and 4) a basic rights approach provides a clear framework to understand dimensions of disadvantage within households.

Verbal Working Memory in Children with Mild Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van der Molen, M. J.; Van Luit, J. E. H.; Jongmans, M. J.; Van der Molen, M. W.

2007-01-01

Background: Previous research into working memory of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) has established clear deficits. The current study examined working memory in children with mild ID (IQ 55-85) within the framework of the Baddeley model, fractionating working memory into a central executive and two slave systems, the phonological…

Predicting work-related disability and medical cost outcomes: a comparison of injury severity scoring methods.

PubMed

Sears, Jeanne M; Blanar, Laura; Bowman, Stephen M

2014-01-01

Acute work-related trauma is a leading cause of death and disability among U.S. workers. Occupational health services researchers have described the pressing need to identify valid injury severity measures for purposes such as case-mix adjustment and the construction of appropriate comparison groups in programme evaluation, intervention, quality improvement, and outcome studies. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of several injury severity scores and scoring methods in the context of predicting work-related disability and medical cost outcomes. Washington State Trauma Registry (WTR) records for injuries treated from 1998 to 2008 were linked with workers' compensation claims. Several Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS)-based injury severity measures (ISS, New ISS, maximum AIS) were estimated directly from ICD-9-CM codes using two software packages: (1) ICDMAP-90, and (2) Stata's user-written ICDPIC programme (ICDPIC). ICDMAP-90 and ICDPIC scores were compared with existing WTR scores using the Akaike Information Criterion, amount of variance explained, and estimated effects on outcomes. Competing risks survival analysis was used to evaluate work disability outcomes. Adjusted total medical costs were modelled using linear regression. The linked sample contained 6052 work-related injury events. There was substantial agreement between WTR scores and those estimated by ICDMAP-90 (kappa=0.73), and between WTR scores and those estimated by ICDPIC (kappa=0.68). Work disability and medical costs increased monotonically with injury severity, and injury severity was a significant predictor of work disability and medical cost outcomes in all models. WTR and ICDMAP-90 scores performed better with regard to predicting outcomes than did ICDPIC scores, but effect estimates were similar. Of the three severity measures, maxAIS was usually weakest, except when predicting total permanent disability. Injury severity was significantly associated with work disability and medical cost outcomes for work-related injuries. Injury severity can be estimated using either ICDMAP-90 or ICDPIC when ICD-9-CM codes are available. We observed little practical difference between severity measures or scoring methods. This study demonstrated that using existing software to estimate injury severity may be useful to enhance occupational injury surveillance and research. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prognostic Effect of Changes in Physical Function Over Prior Year on Subsequent Mortality and Long-Term Nursing Home Admission.

PubMed

Gill, Thomas M; Han, Ling; Gahbauer, Evelyne A; Leo-Summers, Linda; Allore, Heather G

2018-05-02

To evaluate the prognostic effect of changes in physical function at different intervals over the prior year on subsequent outcomes after accounting for present function. Prospective longitudinal study. Greater New Haven, Connecticut, from March 1998 to January 2006. Community-living persons aged 71 and older who completed an 18-month comprehensive assessment (N=658). Disability in 13 activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, and mobility activities was assessed at the 18-month comprehensive assessment and at 12, 6, and 3 months before 18 months. Time to death and long-term nursing home admission, defined as 3 months and longer, were ascertained for up to 5 years after 18 months. In the bivariate models, disability at 18 months and change in disability between 18 months and each of the 3 prior time-points (12, 6, 3 months) were significantly associated with time to death. The risk of death, for example, increased by 24% for each 1-point increase in 18-month disability score (on a scale from 0 to 13) and by 22% for each 1-point change in disability score between 18 months and prior 12 months (on a scale from -13 to 13). In a set of multivariable models with and without covariates, the associations were maintained for 18-month disability but not for change in disability between 18 months and each of the 3 prior time-points. The results were comparable for time to long-term nursing home admission except that 2 of the associations were not statistically significant. When evaluating risk of adverse outcomes, such as death and long-term nursing home admission, an assessment of change in physical function at different intervals over the prior year, although a strong bivariate predictor, did not provide useful prognostic information beyond that available from current level of function. © 2018, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2018, The American Geriatrics Society.

An exploration of social support as a factor in the return-to-work process.

PubMed

Lysaght, Rosemary M; Larmour-Trode, Sherrey

2008-01-01

Despite evidence that inter-personal relationships are important in human resource management, little is understood about the nature of workplace social support in a disability context, or what features of support are important to the success of return-to-work programs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore workplace disability support from worker and supervisory perspectives and to identify salient features for work re-entry. A total of 8 supervisors and 18 previously injured workers from a range of work units in a Canadian municipality were interviewed, and their views concerning supportive and unsupportive behaviours in work-re-entry situations were recorded and analyzed. A full range of social support dimensions were reported to be relevant, and were seen as arising from a variety of sources (e.g. supervisor, co-workers, disability manager, work unit, and outside of work). Respondents identified trust, communication and knowledge of disability as key precursors to a successful return-to-work process. Future research should explore the specific contributions of support to work rehabilitation outcomes as well as interventions to enhance available supports.

Improving Assessment of Work Related Mental Health Function Using the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB).

PubMed

Marfeo, Elizabeth E; Ni, Pengsheng; McDonough, Christine; Peterik, Kara; Marino, Molly; Meterko, Mark; Rasch, Elizabeth K; Chan, Leighton; Brandt, Diane; Jette, Alan M

2018-03-01

Purpose To improve the mental health component of the Work Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB), developed for the US Social Security Administration's (SSA) disability determination process. Specifically our goal was to expand the WD-FAB scales of mood & emotions, resilience, social interactions, and behavioral control to improve the depth and breadth of the current scales and expand the content coverage to include aspects of cognition & communication function. Methods Data were collected from a random, stratified sample of 1695 claimants applying for the SSA work disability benefits, and a general population sample of 2025 working age adults. 169 new items were developed to replenish the WD-FAB scales and analyzed using factor analysis and item response theory (IRT) analysis to construct unidimensional scales. We conducted computer adaptive test (CAT) simulations to examine the psychometric properties of the WD-FAB. Results Analyses supported the inclusion of four mental health subdomains: Cognition & Communication (68 items), Self-Regulation (34 items), Resilience & Sociability (29 items) and Mood & Emotions (34 items). All scales yielded acceptable psychometric properties. Conclusions IRT methods were effective in expanding the WD-FAB to assess mental health function. The WD-FAB has the potential to enhance work disability assessment both within the context of the SSA disability programs as well as other clinical and vocational rehabilitation settings.

Work Disability Associated with Cancer Survivorship and Other Chronic Conditions

PubMed Central

Short, Pamela Farley; Vasey, Joseph J.; BeLue, Rhonda

2014-01-01

Summary The long-term effects of cancer and its treatment on employment and productivity are a major concern for the 40% of cancer survivors in the U.S. who are working age. This study’s objectives were (1) to quantify the increase in work disability attributable to cancer in a cohort of adult survivors who were an average of 46 months post-diagnosis and (2) to compare disability rates in cancer survivors to individuals with other chronic conditions. Data from the Penn State Cancer Survivor Study (PSCSS) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) were compared. The PSCSS sample included 647 survivors age 55–65, diagnosed at four medical centers in Pennsylvania and Maryland. There were 5988 similarly aged subjects without cancer in the HRS. Adjusted odds ratios for work disability were estimated for cancer survivorship, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung disease, and arthritis/rheumatism with multivariate logistic regression. Even for cancer-free survivors, the disability rate was significantly higher in comparison to adults with no chronic conditions (female OR=1.94; male OR=1.89). There were few significant differences between disability rates for cancer and other conditions. The elevated disability rate is another argument for viewing cancer survivorship as a chronic condition potentially requiring a broad range of psychosocial services. PMID:17429835

Parkinson's disease: the spectrum of disabilities.

PubMed Central

Pentland, B; Barnes, M P; Findley, L J; Oxtoby, M; Pearce, V R; Quinn, N P; Scott, S

1992-01-01

The needs of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) go beyond the purely medical domain and often require collaborative management. A Panel Discussion at the "Hither neurology" Symposium included neurologists, a speech therapist, a geriatrician and a sociologist. Their discussion highlighted certain aspects of the disability and disadvantage associated with PD. The starting point was a video recording, "Parkinson's Disease: the personal view", in which the contributors were patients and carers. Topics covered included counselling at the time of diagnosis; subsequent access to clinics and to neurological advice; access to therapy; support in the community; fluctuating disability associated with "on-off" phenomena; driving; and sexual problems. PMID:1564503

School to Work Fact Sheets: Making School to Work Opportunities Happen for Youth with Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horne, Richard L.; Thuli, Kelli J.

These six fact sheets are designed to communicate strategies for serving all youth, especially youth with disabilities, in school to work programs: (1) "Overview of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act" briefly describes this 1994 federal law and the three components of school-to-work programs: school-based learning, work-based learning,…

Work disability in adults with cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Gillen, M; Lallas, D; Brown, C; Yelin, E; Blanc, P

1995-07-01

Greater numbers of persons with cystic fibrosis (CF) reach adulthood and, therefore, actively participate in the labor force. In this study, we estimated labor force participation rates and determined risk factors for work disability among persons with CF. We recruited 49 (73%) of 67 adults followed at one of two hospital-based CF centers. We ascertained employment history and CF-attributed work disability by structured questionnaire. Independently, we reviewed medical records for demographics and illness severity indicators. We analyzed potential risk factors for work disability by logistic regression analysis. All of those studied reported past or present labor force participation, consistent with high work motivation. Complete cessation of work attributed to CF was reported by 17 (35%; 95% CI, 21 to 49%). Although 23 (47%; 95% CI, 32 to 60%) of those surveyed stated that CF had affected career choice, only nine respondents had ever received career counselling and 16 had ever discussed job choice with their physicians. After adjusting for standard measures of disease severity by multiple logistic regression, age, adult diagnosis of CF, female gender, and single marital status, analyzed as a group, provided significant additional explanatory power to a predictive model of disability risk (model chi square [4 d.f.] = 11.5, p < 0.05). Health care professionals who design interventions targeted at work disability among persons with CF should address demographic factors as well as illness severity and should assess the vocational needs of persons with CF and the potential benefit of career counselling.

Current Knowledge and Training Needs of Certified Rehabilitation Counselors to Work Effectively with Veterans with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frain, Michael; Bishop, Malachy; Tansey, Timothy; Sanchez, Jennifer; Wijngaarde, Frank

2013-01-01

Veterans with disabilities have gained national attention in recent years because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This study examined certified rehabilitation counselors' (CRCs) knowledge and preparation for working with veterans with disabilities on their rehabilitation. Results indicate that CRCs report low levels of preparation in…

Working Memory in Children with Learning Disabilities in Reading versus Spelling: Searching for Overlapping and Specific Cognitive Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandenburg, Janin; Klesczewski, Julia; Fischbach, Anne; Schuchardt, Kirsten; Büttner, Gerhard; Hasselhorn, Marcus

2015-01-01

In transparent orthographies like German, isolated learning disabilities in either reading or spelling are common and occur as often as a combined reading and spelling disability. However, most issues surrounding the cognitive causes of these isolated or combined literacy difficulties are yet unresolved. Recently, working memory dysfunctions have…

What Works, When, for Whom, and with Whom: A Meta-Analytic Review of Predictors of Postsecondary Success for Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haber, Mason G.; Mazzotti, Valerie L.; Mustian, April L.; Rowe, Dawn A.; Bartholomew, Audrey L.; Test, David W.; Fowler, Catherine H.

2016-01-01

Students with disabilities experience poorer post-school outcomes compared with their peers without disabilities. Existing experimental literature on "what works" for improving these outcomes is rare; however, a rapidly growing body of research investigates correlational relationships between experiences in school and post-school…

School-to-Work Transition Services for Students with Disabilities in Malaysia: Organisations' Views on Policy and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdullah, Melissa Ng Lee Yen; Mey, See Ching; Eng, Tan Kok; Othman, Rosly; Omar, Ahmad Fairuz

2013-01-01

Transition services are required by law for students with disabilities in many developed countries. In Malaysia, however, there is still no specific legislation mandating that school-to-work transition planning and services be provided to students with disabilities. This study investigated the state of the transition services provided by…

Reading Comprehension and Working Memory in Learning-Disabled Readers: Is the Phonological Loop More Important Than the Executive System?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, H. Lee

1999-01-01

Investigated the contribution of two working-memory systems (the articulatory loop and the central executive) to the performance differences between learning-disabled and skilled readers. Found that, compared to skilled readers, learning-disabled readers experienced constraints in the articulatory and long-term memory system, and suffered…

Employer Attitudes towards the Work Inclusion of People with Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nota, Laura; Santilli, Sara; Ginevra, Maria C.; Soresi, Salvatore

2014-01-01

Background: This study examines the importance of work in life of people with disability and then focuses on employer attitudes towards these people. In the light of Stone and Colella's model, the study examines the employer attitudes and the role of variables such as type of disability, employer experience in the hiring of persons with…

Career Interests and Self-Estimated Abilities of Young Adults with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Sherri; Unkefer, Lesley Craig; Cichy, Bryan Ervin; Peper, Christine; Juang, Ju-Ping

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to ascertain vocational interests and self-estimated work-relevant abilities of young adults with disabilities. Results showed that young adults with both low incidence and high incidence disabilities have a wide range of interests and self-estimated work-relevant abilities that are comparable to those in the general…

20 CFR 220.186 - When and how often the Board will conduct a continuing disability review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Social Security Act. (b) When the Board will conduct a continuing disability review. A continuing... technology raises a disability issue.); (4) The annuitant returns to work and successfully completes a period... returned to work, or that the annuitant is failing to follow the provisions of the Social Security Act, the...

20 CFR 220.186 - When and how often the Board will conduct a continuing disability review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Social Security Act. (b) When the Board will conduct a continuing disability review. A continuing... technology raises a disability issue.); (4) The annuitant returns to work and successfully completes a period... returned to work, or that the annuitant is failing to follow the provisions of the Social Security Act, the...

20 CFR 220.186 - When and how often the Board will conduct a continuing disability review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Social Security Act. (b) When the Board will conduct a continuing disability review. A continuing... technology raises a disability issue.); (4) The annuitant returns to work and successfully completes a period... returned to work, or that the annuitant is failing to follow the provisions of the Social Security Act, the...

20 CFR 404.471 - Nonpayment of disability benefits for trial work period service months upon a conviction of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... another identity (this would include working under another social security number or a forged social... 404.471 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY... disability benefits under title II of the Social Security Act are not payable for months in which you...

Stuck at the bottom rung: occupational characteristics of workers with disabilities.

PubMed

Kaye, H Stephen

2009-06-01

The proportion of workers reporting disabilities varies tremendously across occupations. Although differences in the occupational distributions may partly explain the large disparities in earnings and job security between workers with and without disabilities, little is known about the reasons that workers with disabilities are underrepresented in certain occupations and overrepresented in others. Using a large, national survey of the US population combined with official data on the skill and experience requirements and occupational risks of 269 occupations, a multilevel regression analysis was performed to identify occupational and individual factors that influence the representation of workers with disabilities across occupations. Models of overall, sensory, mobility, and cognitive disability were constructed for working-age labor force participants, as were models of overall disability for younger, in-between, and older workers. At the occupational level, reported disability is negatively associated with occupational requirements for information and communication skills and with the amount of prior work experience that is required, after controlling for individual factors such as age and educational attainment. Little relationship is found between disability status and a set of occupational risk factors. These findings generally hold true across disability types and age groups. Even after taking into account their lower average educational attainment, workers with disabilities appear to be disproportionately relegated to entry-level occupations that do not emphasize the better-remunerated job skills. Underemployment results in lower wages and less job security and stability. Possible reasons include employer discrimination, low expectations, deficits in relevant skills or experience, and work disincentives.

20 CFR 220.171 - The reentitlement period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... DETERMINING DISABILITY Trial Work Period and Reentitlement Period for Annuitants Disabled for Any Regular..., child, or widow(er) who is disabled for any regular employment will not be paid for— (i) Any month... Retirement Act (see § 220.160). (3) The disability annuity of an employee who is disabled for any regular...

20 CFR 220.171 - The reentitlement period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... DETERMINING DISABILITY Trial Work Period and Reentitlement Period for Annuitants Disabled for Any Regular..., child, or widow(er) who is disabled for any regular employment will not be paid for— (i) Any month... Retirement Act (see § 220.160). (3) The disability annuity of an employee who is disabled for any regular...

Disability Risks of Chronic Illnesses and Impairments. Disability Statistics Report 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaPlante, Mitchell P.

This report provides results from an investigation of comparative disability risks of specific chronic physical and mental illnesses, diseases, and impairments. National estimates are presented of the risks of chronic health conditions causing disability--including activity limitation, work disability, and need for assistance in basic life…

Federal Employees’ Compensation Act: DOD Access to DOL Data is Generally Sufficient, but Monitoring Timelines Could Help Return-to-Work Efforts

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

percent of FECA claimants in 2015, and DOD total- disability beneficiaries (i.e., with no capacity to work) were generally older than those from the...including the nearly 20 percent receiving partial- or total- disability benefits. About 56 percent of DOD total- disability beneficiaries were at or...DOD Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) Total- Disability Beneficiaries at or above Their Full Social Security Retirement Age, 2015 Notes

Socioeconomics and Major Disabilities: Characteristics of Working-Age Adults in Rwanda.

PubMed

Kiregu, Joshua; Murindahabi, Nathalie K; Tumusiime, David; Thomson, Dana R; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany L; Ahayo, Anita

2016-01-01

Disability affects approximately 15% of the world's population, and has adverse socio-economic effects, especially for the poor. In Rwanda, there are a number of government compensation programs that support the poor, but not specifically persons with disability (PWDs). This study investigates the relationship between poverty and government compensation on disability among working-age adults in Rwanda. This was a secondary analysis of 35,114 adults aged 16 to 65 interviewed in the 2010/2011 Rwanda Household Wealth and Living Conditions survey, a national cross-sectional two-stage cluster survey, stratified by district. This study estimated self-reported major disability, and used chi-square tests to estimate associations (p<0.1) with income, government compensation, occupation type, participation in public works programs, and household poverty status. Non-collinear economic variables were included in a multivariate logistic regression, along with socio-demographic confounders that modified the relationship between any economic predictor and the outcome by 10% or more. All analyses adjusted for sampling weights, stratification, and clustering of households. Over 4% of working-age adults reported having a major disability and the most prevalent types of disability in order were physical, mental, and then sensory disability. In bivariate analysis, annual income, occupation type, and poverty status were associated with major disability (p<0.001 for all). Occupation type was dropped because it was collinear with income. Age, education, and urban/rural residence were confounders. In the multivariate analysis, adults in all income groups had about half the odds of disability compared to adults with no income (Rwf1-120,000 OR = 0.57; Rwf120,000-250,000 OR = 0.61; Rwf250,000-1,000,000 OR = 0.59; Rwf1,000,000+ OR = 0.66; p<0.05 for all), and non-poor adults had 0.77 the odds of disability compared to poor adults (p = 0.001). Given that personal income rather than government programming is associated with disability in Rwanda, we recommend deliberately targeted services to those with disability via cash transfers, placements in disability-appropriate employment, and micro-savings programs.

Socioeconomics and Major Disabilities: Characteristics of Working-Age Adults in Rwanda

PubMed Central

Kiregu, Joshua; Murindahabi, Nathalie K.; Tumusiime, David; Thomson, Dana R.; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany L.; Ahayo, Anita

2016-01-01

Background Disability affects approximately 15% of the world’s population, and has adverse socio-economic effects, especially for the poor. In Rwanda, there are a number of government compensation programs that support the poor, but not specifically persons with disability (PWDs). This study investigates the relationship between poverty and government compensation on disability among working-age adults in Rwanda. Methods This was a secondary analysis of 35,114 adults aged 16 to 65 interviewed in the 2010/2011 Rwanda Household Wealth and Living Conditions survey, a national cross-sectional two-stage cluster survey, stratified by district. This study estimated self-reported major disability, and used chi-square tests to estimate associations (p<0.1) with income, government compensation, occupation type, participation in public works programs, and household poverty status. Non-collinear economic variables were included in a multivariate logistic regression, along with socio-demographic confounders that modified the relationship between any economic predictor and the outcome by 10% or more. All analyses adjusted for sampling weights, stratification, and clustering of households. Results Over 4% of working-age adults reported having a major disability and the most prevalent types of disability in order were physical, mental, and then sensory disability. In bivariate analysis, annual income, occupation type, and poverty status were associated with major disability (p<0.001 for all). Occupation type was dropped because it was collinear with income. Age, education, and urban/rural residence were confounders. In the multivariate analysis, adults in all income groups had about half the odds of disability compared to adults with no income (Rwf1-120,000 OR = 0.57; Rwf120,000–250,000 OR = 0.61; Rwf250,000–1,000,000 OR = 0.59; Rwf1,000,000+ OR = 0.66; p<0.05 for all), and non-poor adults had 0.77 the odds of disability compared to poor adults (p = 0.001). Conclusion Given that personal income rather than government programming is associated with disability in Rwanda, we recommend deliberately targeted services to those with disability via cash transfers, placements in disability-appropriate employment, and micro-savings programs. PMID:27101377

Disability, Work and Cash Benefits.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mashaw, Jerry L., Ed.; And Others

This book contains 13 papers from a workshop convened to explore the causes of work disability and the types of interventions that might enable individuals to remain at work, return to work, or enter the work force for the first time, despite having chronic health conditions or impairments. Following an overview of the papers by editors Jerry L.…

Retrospectively assessed psychosocial working conditions as predictors of prospectively assessed sickness absence and disability pension among older workers.

PubMed

Sundstrup, Emil; Hansen, Åse Marie; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Poulsen, Otto Melchior; Clausen, Thomas; Rugulies, Reiner; Møller, Anne; Andersen, Lars L

2018-01-17

The aim was to explore the association between retrospectively assessed psychosocial working conditions during working life and prospectively assessed risk of sickness absence and disability pension among older workers. The prospective risk of register-based long-term sickness absence (LTSA) and disability pension was estimated from exposure to 12 different psychosocial work characteristics during working life among 5076 older workers from the CAMB cohort (Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank). Analyses were censored for competing events and adjusted for age, gender, physical work environment, lifestyle, education, and prior LTSA. LTSA was predicted by high levels of cognitive demands (HR 1.31 (95% CI 1.10-1.56)), high levels of emotional demands (HR 1.26 (95% CI 1.07-1.48)), low levels of influence at work (HR 1.30 (95% CI 1.03-1.64)), and high levels of role conflicts (HR 1.34 (95% CI 1.09-1.65)). Disability pension was predicted by low levels of influence at work (HR 2.73 (95% CI 1.49-5.00)) and low levels of recognition from management (HR 2.04 (95% CI 1.14-3.67)). This exploratory study found that retrospectively assessed high cognitive demands, high and medium emotional demands, low influence at work, low recognition from management, medium role clarity, and high role conflicts predicted LTSA and/or disability pension.

Work participation among the morbidly obese seeking bariatric surgery: an exploratory study from Norway.

PubMed

Hernæs, Ulrikke J V; Andersen, John R; Norheim, Ole F; Våge, Villy

2015-02-01

The aim of this study is to assess the rate of work participation and disability pension, and identify predictors for sickness absence and disability pension, among morbidly obese individuals. The data were collected from the Obesity Surgery Registry at Førde Central Hospital and consists of patients undergoing bariatric surgery between April 2001 and February 2013. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of sickness absence and disability pension. The sample consisted of 576 patients (63.9 % females) with a mean (range, SD) age of 41.7 (18-66, 10.6) and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 47.7 (32.5-80.8, 7.7). Patients working full- or part-time comprised 55.6 % of the sample and 29.7 % received a disability pension; only 46.4 % of the sample received an income from paid work without additional benefits. Having a BMI above 50, lower levels of education, and suffering from four or more comorbidities were significant predictors of sickness absence. Female gender, psychiatric disorders, lower levels of education, asthma, heart failure and suffering from four or more comorbidities were significant predictors of disability pension. The proportion of the work participation and disability pension among this morbidly obese population is of substantial concern, as work participation has proven important for the health-related quality of life. This, combined with the fact that these patients are significantly less educated than the general population, can potentially have grave socioeconomic consequences. Increased knowledge of obesity development and the work history of these patients are needed to implement policies that ensure increased rates of work participation.

Dizziness causes absence from work.

PubMed

van der Zaag-Loonen, H J; van Leeuwen, R B

2015-09-01

The objective of the study was to assess absenteeism from work due to dizziness in patients referred to a tertiary centre. Consecutive patients with a paid employment completed the WHO Health and work Performance Questionnaire, including items on work absence in the past 7 days and 4 weeks, and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory. Of the 400 patients [55% females, mean age 46.3 years (SD 10.8), range 18-68 years], 46 (12%) indicated they were completely disabled to work due to dizziness, while 202 (51%) patients indicated they had worked less than expected due to dizziness. Patients with more disease-related disabilities had more absenteeism from work. Half of the patients who are referred to a tertiary centre for dizziness report work absenteeism due to their complaints, and 12% is completely disabled to work.

The association between socioeconomic status and disability after stroke: findings from the Adherence eValuation After Ischemic stroke Longitudinal (AVAIL) registry.

PubMed

Bettger, Janet Prvu; Zhao, Xin; Bushnell, Cheryl; Zimmer, Louise; Pan, Wenqin; Williams, Linda S; Peterson, Eric D

2014-03-26

Stroke is the leading cause of disability among adults in the United States. The association of patients' pre-event socioeconomic status (SES) with post-stroke disability is not well understood. We examined the association of three indicators of SES--educational attainment, working status, and perceived adequacy of household income--with disability 3-months following an acute ischemic stroke. We conducted retrospective analyses of a prospective cohort of 1965 ischemic stroke patients who survived to 3 months in the Adherence eValuation After Ischemic stroke--Longitudinal (AVAIL) study. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relationship of level of education, pre-stroke work status, and perceived adequacy of household income with disability (defined as a modified Rankin Scale of 3-5 indicating activities of daily living limitations or constant care required). Overall, 58% of AVAIL stroke patients had a high school or less education, 61% were not working, and 27% perceived their household income as inadequate prior to their stroke. Thirty five percent of patients were disabled at 3-months. After adjusting for demographic and clinical factors, stroke survivors who were unemployed or homemakers, disabled and not-working, retired, less educated, or reported to have inadequate income prior to their stroke had a significantly higher odds of post-stroke disability. In this cohort of stroke survivors, socioeconomic status was associated with disability following acute ischemic stroke. The results may have implications for public health and health service interventions targeting stroke survivors at risk of poor outcomes.

Job strain and the risk of disability pension due to musculoskeletal disorders, depression or coronary heart disease: a prospective cohort study of 69,842 employees.

PubMed

Mäntyniemi, Anne; Oksanen, Tuula; Salo, Paula; Virtanen, Marianna; Sjösten, Noora; Pentti, Jaana; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi

2012-08-01

Observational studies suggest that high job strain is a risk factor for retirement on health grounds, but few studies have analysed specific diagnoses. We examined job strain's association with all-cause and cause-specific disability pensions. Survey responses to questions about job strain from 48,598 (response rate, 68%) public sector employees in Finland from 2000 to 2002 were used to determine work unit- and occupation-based scores. These job strain scores were assigned to all the 69,842 employees in the same work units or occupations. All participants were linked to the disability pension register of the Finnish Centre of Pensions with no loss to follow-up. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate HRs and their 95% CIs for disability pensions adjusted by demographic, work unit characteristics and baseline health in analyses stratified by sex and socioeconomic position. During a mean follow-up of 4.6 years, 2572 participants (4%) were granted a disability pension. A one-unit increase in job strain was associated with a 1.3- to 2.4-fold risk of requiring a disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases in men, women and manual workers, depending on the measure of job strain (work unit or occupation based). The risk of disability pension due to cardiovascular diseases was increased in men with high job strain but not in women nor in any socioeconomic group. No consistent pattern was found for disability pension due to depression. High job strain is a risk factor for disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases.

Risk factors for recurrent episodes of care and work disability: case of low back pain.

PubMed

Wasiak, Radoslaw; Verma, Santosh; Pransky, Glenn; Webster, Barbara

2004-01-01

Recurrences of injuries are common and have significant socioeconomic consequences; it is important to identify associated risk factors as potential opportunities for prevention. This study was conducted to identify risk factors for low back pain (LBP) recurrence and the extent that variation in recurrence definition impacts identified risk factors. Patients with new claims for LBP reported in New Hampshire to a workers' compensation provider were selected (n = 2023) with a minimum of 3-year follow up. Alternative definitions of recurrence included a new episode of medical care and a new episode of lost work time (work disability). Risk factors better predicted disability-based than treatment-based recurrence. Longer durations of the initial episode of care or work disability were the most powerful predictors of recurrence, implying that shorter episodes of care and early return to work contribute to better outcomes.

The Vocational Well-Being of Workers with Childhood Onset of Disability: Life Satisfaction and Perceived Workplace Discrimination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Mark E.; Konrad, Alison M.; Yang, Yang; Ng, Eddy S. W.; Doherty, Alison J.

2011-01-01

Workers with disabilities are understudied, and workers with childhood onset of disability have been excluded from many of the studies on disability and work that do exist. This research compares the effects of childhood and adult onset of disability in a nationally representative sample of workers with disabilities. Educational disruptions due to…

Work Environment-Related Factors in Obtaining and Maintaining Work in a Competitive Employment Setting for Employees with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Ellenkamp, Joke J H; Brouwers, Evelien P M; Embregts, Petri J C M; Joosen, Margot C W; van Weeghel, Jaap

2016-03-01

People with an intellectual disability value work as a significant part of their lives, and many of them want to participate in regular paid employment.Current estimates show that the number of people with ID who have some form of paid employment are very low, ranging from 9 to 40% across different countries,despite legislations. This review examines papers published in the past 20 years in an attempt to answer the following research question: ‘What work environment-related factors contribute to obtaining or maintaining work in competitive employment for people with an intellectual disability?’ The databases of PubMed, PsycINFO,CINAHL, Embase and Web of Science were searched for relevant papers published between 1993 and 2013. All papers were independently screened by two researchers.Methodological quality of the studies was evaluated, and data on work environment-related factors stimulating employment for people with intellectual disabilities were extracted and grouped into categories. A total of 1932 articles were retrieved. After extensive screening for relevance and quality, 26 articles were included in this review. Four themes/categories with work environment related factors that could influence work participation were distinguished. Five studies were conducted on employers’ decisions and opinions. Eight focused on job content and performance, and eight on workplace interaction and culture. Five studies evaluated support by job coaches. Despite ongoing legislation to promote participation of people with intellectual disabilities in the paid workforce, research in this area is still extremely scarce. In the past 20 years, very few studies have focused on work environment-related factors that can enhance competitive work for people with intellectual disabilities.This review shows that relevant work environment-related factors for obtaining and maintaining work in competitive employment include supporting the employers by paying specific attention to: employer’s decisions, job content, integration and work culture and job coaches.

Healthcare employees' progression through disability benefits.

PubMed

Hawley, Carolyn E; Diaz, Sebastian; Reid, Christine

2009-01-01

Progression of Disability Benefits (PODB) refers to the migration of workers with work-limiting disabilities through a system of economic disability benefits that result in their ultimate placement into the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) system [16]. Specifically, this migration involves a "progression" from short-term disability (STD) to long-term disability (LTD) to SSDI income. This project uses Chi-squared Automatic Interaction (CHAID) Technique to study the Healthcare industry, the largest industry in the United States, and its PODB experience. The first part of the study analyzes if claimant demographic (age, gender, disability type) and PODB data (movement from STD to LTD to SSDI) can be used to predict employer industry (dependent variable). Gender was the most significant predictor, while men working outside of Healthcare had the greatest amount of progression to advanced disability levels. The second part of the study assesses if the PODB experience could be predicted through claimant demographics and the sub-set industry within Healthcare in which claimants' were employed. The resulting dendogram reveals that disability type was the strongest predictor of claimant movement through disability benefits levels. Age was the second strongest predictor for all but 1 category of disability type, in which the Healthcare sector was the strongest predictor.

Clinical psychologists' views of intensive interaction as an intervention in learning disability services.

PubMed

Berry, Ruth; Firth, Graham; Leeming, Catherine; Sharma, Vishal

2014-01-01

Intensive Interaction was initially developed in the 1980s as an educational approach for developing social communication and engagement with people with severe or profound intellectual disabilities and/or autism. Intensive Interaction has subsequently been adopted by a range of practitioners and professionals working in learning disability services and has a broad multi-disciplinary acceptance, being recommended in a number of UK governmental guidance documents. Despite this, there has been limited work on developing a deeper psychological understanding of the approach. This study utilises a qualitative description/thematic analysis approach to explore how clinical psychologists conceptualise the approach with regard to currently accepted psychological theories, as well as looking at other factors that influence their adoption and advocacy. The sample deliberately consisted of eight NHS (National Health Service) clinical psychologists known to be using or advocating the use of Intensive Interaction with people with a learning disability. The results of this study indicate that although the participants referred to some theories that might explain the beneficial outcomes of Intensive Interaction, these theories were rarely explicitly or clearly referenced, resulting in the authors having to attribute specific theoretical positions on the basis of inductive analysis of the participants' responses. Moreover, the participants provided varying views on how Intensive Interaction might be conceptualised, highlighting the lack of a generally accepted, psychologically framed definition of the approach. In conclusion, it was felt that further research is required to develop a specifically psychological understanding of Intensive Interaction alongside the formation of a Special Interest Group, which might have this task as one of its aims. There appeared to be a limited recognition amongst the participants of the specific psychological theories that can be seen to explain the beneficial outcomes of Intensive Interaction. The participants were found to differ in how they explained the approach and typically used everyday 'non-psychological' language or individual concepts/terms rather than clearly or extensively referencing particular theoretical models. The participants appeared to differ in the range of clients who they thought might benefit from Intensive Interaction. An Intensive Interaction Special Interest Group, which includes clinical psychologists, should be set up to instigate psychologically informed theory development and research with the broader aims of fostering greater understanding and adoption of Intensive Interaction within services for people with severe or profound intellectual disabilities and/or autism. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The utility of measuring sexual disability for predicting 1-year return to work.

PubMed

Gross, Douglas P; Knupp, Heidi; Esmail, Shaniff

2011-11-01

To explore sexual disability in injured workers undergoing rehabilitation. Specifically, we investigated (1) factors associated with high ratings of sexual disability, (2) factors associated with noncompletion of the sexual disability questionnaire, and (3) the association between sexual disability and future recovery. Historical cohort study with 1-year follow-up. Workers' compensation rehabilitation facility. Workers' compensation claimants (N=1078) undergoing return-to-work assessment. Ratings of sexual disability were measured using the Sexual Behavior item of the Pain Disability Index. Other demographic, clinical, and occupational factors also were collected. Not applicable. Outcomes included administrative indicators of timely and sustained recovery and return to work. Of subjects included in analysis, 18.5% did not complete the Sexual Behavior item. Claimants were less likely to complete if they were women, older, and single; had lower salaries, injury diagnoses other than sprain/strain, and fewer health visits before assessment; and reported lower recovery expectations. Higher levels of sexual disability were associated with higher levels of overall pain and disability, as well as being in a married/common law relationship. After adjusting for injury duration, the Sexual Behavior item was not associated significantly with any recovery measure or claims outcome. A response bias exists in Canadian injured workers asked to complete a sexual disability rating. In those completing the questionnaire, higher sexual disability was associated most closely with higher pain severity and higher disability. Perceptions of sexual disability did not contribute to predicting recovery, which supports replacement of this item for use within this and related contexts. Copyright © 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Who are they and what do they do? Profile of allied health professionals working with people with disabilities in rural and remote New South Wales.

PubMed

Gallego, Gisselle; Chedid, Rebecca Jean; Dew, Angela; Lincoln, Michelle; Bundy, Anita; Veitch, Craig; Bulkeley, Kim; Brentnall, Jennie

2015-08-01

To explore the characteristics of allied health professionals (AHPs) working with people with disabilities in western New South Wales (NSW). A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire. Rural western NSW. AHPs including physiotherapists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and psychologists ('therapists') working with people with disabilities. AHPs characteristics. The majority of respondents were women (94%), with a mean age of 39 years; average time since qualification was 14 years; mean years in current position was 6. Most worked with people with a lifelong disability. Two thirds reported that family ties kept them in rural areas; 71% grew up in a rural/remote area. Most participants (94%) enjoyed the rural lifestyle, and 84% reported opportunities for social interaction as good or very good. Participants with dependent children were less likely to cease working in western NSW within 5 years than those without dependent children (P < 0.05). The characteristics of therapists working with people with disabilities in rural NSW were identified. Overall working, but also social conditions and community attachment were important for this group. Understanding the workforce will contribute to policy development to meet increasing demands for therapy services. © 2015 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

Working with Students with Psychiatric Disabilities or Other Emotional Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazza, Elena T.

2015-01-01

The professional literature on gatekeeping in social work education has grown; however, there remains a dearth in the literature regarding how educators truly work to engage students who are experiencing a psychiatric disability or other emotional problem. This qualitative study explored the experiences of 26 social work educators from 22 colleges…

20 CFR 404.325 - The termination month.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... complete your trial work period in December 1999, but you do not do work showing your ability to do... disabling even if it occurs during the trial work period or the reentitlement period. If you continue to have a disabling impairment and complete 9 months of trial work, your termination month will be the...

20 CFR 404.325 - The termination month.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... complete your trial work period in December 1999, but you do not do work showing your ability to do... disabling even if it occurs during the trial work period or the reentitlement period. If you continue to have a disabling impairment and complete 9 months of trial work, your termination month will be the...

20 CFR 404.325 - The termination month.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... complete your trial work period in December 1999, but you do not do work showing your ability to do... disabling even if it occurs during the trial work period or the reentitlement period. If you continue to have a disabling impairment and complete 9 months of trial work, your termination month will be the...

Shortages in Professions Working with Young Children with Disabilities and Their Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hebbeler, Kathleen

This paper synthesizes information about shortages among the professions working with young children with disabilities, birth through age 5, and their families. The paper begins with a look at national data on personnel working in early intervention and preschool special education. Distinctions between the work force in early intervention (Part H…

Work-Based Learning for Adolescents with Learning Disabilities: Creating a Context for Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Versnel, Joan; Hutchinson, Nancy L.; Munby, Hugh; Chin, Peter

2008-01-01

This paper describes cases of two adolescents with learning disabilities working in automotive repair businesses as part of a work-based education program. Neither adolescent was judged to have been successful by the workplace supervisors. The frameworks chosen for analyzing these cases draw upon recent work in self-determination, workplace…

Food insufficiency and food insecurity as risk factors for physical disability among Palestinian refugees in Lebanon: Evidence from an observational study.

PubMed

Salti, Nisreen; Ghattas, Hala

2016-10-01

Potential interactions between malnutrition and disability are increasingly recognized, and both are important global health issues. Causal effects working from nutrition to disability and from disability back to nutrition present an empirical challenge to measuring either of these effects. However, disability affects nutrition whatever the cause of disability, whereas nutrition is likelier to affect disease-related disability than war- or work-related disability. This paper investigates the association of food insufficiency with the risk of physical disability. Data on disability by cause allow us to address the difficulty of reverse causality. Multinomial logit regressions of disability by cause on food insufficiency are run using survey data from 2010 on 2575 Palestinian refugee households in Lebanon. Controls include household sociodemographic, health and economic characteristics. Regressions of food insufficiency on disability by cause are also run. Disability has a significant coefficient in regressions of food insufficiency, whatever the cause of disability; but in regressions of disability on food insufficiency, food insufficiency is significant only for disease-related disability (log odds of disease-related disability .78 higher, p = .008). The difference in the results by cause of disability is evidence of a significant association between food insufficiency and disease-related disability, net of any reverse effect from disability to food access. The association between disease-related disability and food insufficiency is statistically significant suggesting that even taking into account feedback from disability to nutrition, nutrition is an effective level of intervention to avert the poverty-disability trap resulting from the impoverishing effect of disability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potentially traumatic events as predictors of disability pension: A 10-year follow-up study in Norway.

PubMed

Lassemo, Eva; Sandanger, Inger

2018-05-01

Are potentially traumatic events associated with subsequent disability pension? Traumatic exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may represent a disabling state with both personal and professional consequences for the affected individual. Despite this, there is a scarcity of research studying the effects of traumatic exposure on disability pension. This study examined the differences in risk for disability pension among unexposed, exposed to trauma and PTSD cases. An ambidirectional Norwegian cohort study, consisting of 1238 individuals aged 18-66 years who were at risk of disability pension, were interviewed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, and linked with registry data on disability pension. Registry follow-up in the Norwegian Insurance Database lasted ten years following interview in 2000-01. The risk of disability pension after traumatic exposure, divided into accidental and premeditated, was assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. In 10 years, 9.5% of the cohort had been granted disability pension. Overall exposure to traumatic events did not alter the risk of disability pension. However, among women, exposure to premeditated traumas did increase the risk (HR 2.96 (95% CI 1.54-5.68)), and was an independent risk factor. Fulfilling criteria for PTSD caseness further increased the risk (HR 4.69 (95% CI 1.78-12.40)). There was no increased risk found between traumatic exposure and disability pension for men. Exposure to trauma, particularly premeditated trauma, seems to be an independent risk factor for disability pension in women.

[Inadequacy of the paradigms of special education to subjects with severe and profound grade intellectual disability - the need for pragmatic realism in psychiatry and special pedagogy].

PubMed

Sipowicz, Kasper; Żuraw, Hanna; Witusik, Andrzej; Mokros, Łukasz; Najbert, Edyta; Pietras, Tadeusz

2018-05-25

People with severe and profound grade disabilities are the subject of interest in psychiatry, clinical psychology and special pedagogy. Unfortunately, the paradigmatic approach to special education based on postmodern philosophy is in contrast to the biomedical approach that is based on the positivist and Cartesian models. The paper is an attempt to systematize the similarities and differences between the humanistic approach and the modern biomedical model, which, despite the apparent differences, do not differ so much from each other. Work with a person disabled intellectually in the severe or profound degree is governed by the principles of methodical realism, taking into account to an equal extent the principal deficits, the concomitant diseases, limitations and the social context. The deeper the impairment and disability is, the smaller is the role of the humanistic paradigm in work with the client in the medical management and educational process. Changing the paradigms of special pedagogy has drawn attention to the social context of disability, separating, however, special pedagogy from modern medicine and psychology, cognitive-oriented and psychometry-based. The postmodern paradigm has become an ideology, which makes it difficult to work with deeply disabled people. Only the multidirectional approach including a variety of paradigms makes it possible to provide integrational aid to people with severe and profound grade intellectual disabilities. Working with such a disabled person should take into account equally the biomedical and humanistic aspects. © 2018 MEDPRESS.

Factors affecting first return to work following a compensable occupational back injury.

PubMed

Oleinick, A; Gluck, J V; Guire, K

1996-11-01

Occupational back injuries produced $27 billion in direct and indirect costs in 1988. Predictors of prolonged disability have generally been identified in selected clinical populations, but there have been few population-based studies using statewide registries from workers' compensation systems. This study uses a 1986 cohort of 8,628 Michigan workers with compensable back injuries followed to March 1, 1990. Cox proportional hazards analyses with nine categorical covariates identified factors predicting missed worktime for the first disability episode following the injury. The model distinguished factors affecting the acute (< or = 8 weeks) and chronic disability periods (> 8 weeks). The first disability episode following injury contains 69.6% of the missed worktime observed through follow-up. In the acute phase, which contributes 15.2% of first episode missed worktime, gender, age, number of dependents, industry (construction), occupation, and type of accident predict continued work disability. Marital status, weekly wage compensation rate, and establishment size do not. Beyond 8 weeks, age, establishment size and, to a lesser degree, wage compensation rate predict duration of work disability. Graphs show the predicted disability course for injured workers with specific covariate patterns. Future efforts to reduce missed worktime may require modifications in current clinical practice by patient age group and the development of new strategies to encourage small and medium-size employers to find ways to return their injured employees to work sooner. Recent federal statutes covering disabled workers will only partially correct the strong effect of employer establishment size.

Working memory functioning in children with learning disabilities: does intelligence make a difference?

PubMed

Maehler, C; Schuchardt, K

2009-01-01

Children with learning disabilities are identified by their severe learning problems and their deficient school achievement. On the other hand, children with sub-average school achievement and sub-average intellectual development are thought to suffer from a general intellectual delay rather than from specific learning disabilities. The open question is whether these two groups are characterised by differences in their cognitive functioning. The present study explored several functions of working memory. A working memory battery with tasks for the phonological loop, the visual-spatial sketchpad and central executive skills was presented in individual sessions to 27 children with learning disabilities and normal IQ (ICD-10: mixed disorders of scholastic skills), 27 children with learning disabilities and low IQ (intellectual disabilities), and a control group of 27 typically developing children with regular school achievement levels and normal IQ. The results reveal an overall deficit in working memory of the two groups with learning disabilities compared with the control group. However, unexpectedly, there were no differences between the two groups of children with disabilities (normal vs. low IQ). These findings do not support the notion of different cognitive functioning because of differences in intelligence of these two groups. In the ongoing discussion about the role of intelligence (especially as to the postulated discrepancy between intelligence and school achievement in diagnosis and special education), our findings might lead to rethinking the current practice of treating these two groups as fundamentally different.

Disability Accommodation Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flick-Hruska, Connie, Comp.; Blythe, Gretchen, Comp.

Designed as a resource for two-year college faculty and staff working with students with disabilities, this handbook contains facts about various disabilities, practical suggestions for improving services, and resource points for further information. Following a brief introduction, legal implications regarding disabled students are discussed for…

Disability Studies, Disabled People and the Struggle for Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Mike; Barnes, Colin

2010-01-01

This paper traces the relationship between the emergence of disability studies and the struggle for meaningful inclusion for disabled people with particular reference to the work of a pivotal figure in these developments: Len Barton. It is argued that the links between disability activism and the academy were responsible for the emergence of…

Guidelines for Libraries Serving Hospital Patients and Disabled People in the Community. IFLA Professional Reports, No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Federation of Library Associations, The Hague (Netherlands).

These guidelines are based on the experiences of a number of librarians working in the area of library services for hospital patients and disabled people in the community, as well as work done previously by a number of national library associations. The guidelines indicate the essential features of services to disabled people and suggest…

A Qualitative Examination of Strategies Used in Rural Districts to Prepare Students with Disabilities for Transition to Employment Post-Graduation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thew, Jodi Nicole

2011-01-01

Traditional high schools do not prepare students with disabilities to transition to employment after graduation as successfully as they prepare their peers without disabilities. Work experience can be a meaningful part of the transition process, though finding work placements in rural areas can be difficult. This qualitative study examined what…

Reading, Mathematics, and Science Instructional Strategies for English Language Learners with Disabilities: Insights from Educators Nationwide. ELLs with Disabilities Report 19

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrera, Manuel; Shyyan, Vitaliy; Liu, Kristi K.; Thurlow, Martha L.

2008-01-01

This study, conducted in 2005-06, identified teacher-initiated instructional strategies currently preferred by practitioners who daily work with English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities. The findings generated in this study could potentially confirm strategies identified in the authors' earlier work (Thurlow et al., 2004) through the…

Listening to the Experts: Students with Disabilities Speak Out

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keefe, Elizabeth B.,Ed.; Moore, Veronica M., Ed.; Duff, Frances R., Ed.

2006-01-01

What's the best way to find out what really works--and doesn't work--in education for students with disabilities? Listen to the experts: the students themselves. In this one-of-a-kind book, students with a wide range of disabilities give readers a rare inside look at their past and present school experiences, both in self-contained classrooms and…

Livelihood opportunities amongst adults with and without disabilities in Cameroon and India: A case control study

PubMed Central

Banks, Lena Morgon; Kuper, Hannah; Murthy, G. V. S.; Sagar, Jayanthi; Oye, Joseph; Polack, Sarah

2018-01-01

Proven links between disability and poverty suggest that development programmes and policies that are not disability-inclusive will leave persons with disabilities behind. Despite this, there is limited quantitative evidence on livelihood opportunities amongst adults with disabilities in Low and Middle Income Countries. This study adds to the limited evidence base, contributing data from one African and one Asian Setting. We undertook a population-based case–control study of adults (18+) with and without disabilities in North-West Cameroon and in Telangana State, India. We found that adults with disabilities were five times less likely to be working compared to age-sex matched controls in both settings. Amongst adults with disabilities, current age, marital status and disability type were key predictors of working. Inclusive programmes are therefore needed to provide adequate opportunities to participate in livelihood prospects for adults with disabilities in Cameroon and India, on an equal basis as others. These findings are of crucial importance at this stage of the Sustainable Development Agenda, to ensure that the mandate of inclusive development is achieved. PMID:29630606

Long-term disability programs in selected countries.

PubMed

Zeitzer, I R; Beedon, L E

1987-09-01

In 1985, the Social Security Administration commissioned an 18-month research project to study disability in eight industrialized countries: Austria, Canada, Finland, the Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The study focused on three key areas: (1) the initial determination of disability, (2) the methods of monitoring disability, and (3) the incentives to return to work. Although the study revealed great variations among the countries in the definition of long-term disability, the approach followed in providing benefits, and the organization and features of the programs, some basic similarities were also found. Among the similarities are: (1) most countries have several income-maintenance programs to protect workers in the event that they are disabled, and (2) the disability test to determine whether a person is eligible for a disability benefit is ambiguous in that the various programs each have different eligibility criteria, different definitions of disability, different considerations given to labor-market conditions, and so forth. This article examines the diversity among the countries and attempts to highlight unique approaches to adjudicating disability, providing linkages to rehabilitation, and creating incentives for returning to work.

Involving people with learning disabilities in nurse education: towards an inclusive approach.

PubMed

Bollard, Martin; Lahiff, John; Parkes, Neville

2012-02-01

There is limited evidence that explores how to effectively include people with learning disabilities in nurse education in the U.K. The majority of reported work relates to mental health nursing and social work training (Morgan and Jones, 2009). This paper specifically reports on the processes and activities undertaken by the authors with people with learning disabilities in the development of a new BSc learning disability nursing programme, a specific branch of nursing in the U.K. In doing so, findings and discussion from two separate projects involving students and people with learning disabilities will be integrated into the paper. EPICURE (Engagement, Processing, Interpretation, Critique, Usefulness, Relevance and Ethics (Stige et al. 2009) is adopted as a qualitative framework throughout the paper to evaluate the reported work that took place between September 2006 and October 2010. Suggestions are therefore made regarding the benefits and challenges of striving towards an inclusive approach to user involvement in nurse education, with particular reference to learning disability. The work presented in the paper demonstrates how through careful involvement of this population, deeper learning opportunities for all nursing students can be created. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combat Casualty Hand Burns: Evaluating Impairment and Disability during Recovery

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

impairment guidelines would correlate with disability as mea- sured by the DASH. However, a study by Mink van der Molen et al. found only a weak correlation (r...Mink van der Molen AB, Ettema AM, Hovius SER. Outcome of hand trauma: the hand injury severity scoring system (HISS) and subsequent impairment and...0.38) between AMA and DASH scores at six months after hand trauma.16 In another study, van Oosterom et al. reported no statistically significant

Making work fit care: reconciliation strategies used by working mothers of adults with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Chou, Yueh-Ching; Fu, Li-yeh; Chang, Heng-Hao

2013-03-01

This study explored the experiences of working mothers with an adult child with intellectual disabilities to understand how they reconcile paid work and care responsibilities. Fifteen working mothers in Taiwan with an adult child with intellectual disabilities were interviewed, and an interpretative phenomenological approach was adopted for data collection and analysis. All included mothers prioritized their caregiving role over paid work. The strategies used by these mothers to make paid work fit with caregiving included having strong social networks and informal support for their care work, use of formal services, personal religious beliefs and positive attitudes towards care, as well as having flexible working hours due to self-employment, good relations with employers, working positions and work locations. Formal systems, which include both welfare and labour policies, need to be responsive to and involved in supporting these working mothers, especially those who lack good personal networks. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

20 CFR 220.17 - Recovery from disability for work in the regular occupation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... period. The trial work period is a period during which the annuitant may test his or her ability to work... ability to perform those duties. (d) Limitations on the number of trial work periods. The annuitant may... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Recovery from disability for work in the...

20 CFR 220.17 - Recovery from disability for work in the regular occupation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... period. The trial work period is a period during which the annuitant may test his or her ability to work... ability to perform those duties. (d) Limitations on the number of trial work periods. The annuitant may... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2013-04-01 2012-04-01 true Recovery from disability for work in the...

20 CFR 220.17 - Recovery from disability for work in the regular occupation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... period. The trial work period is a period during which the annuitant may test his or her ability to work... ability to perform those duties. (d) Limitations on the number of trial work periods. The annuitant may... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Recovery from disability for work in the...

20 CFR 220.17 - Recovery from disability for work in the regular occupation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... period. The trial work period is a period during which the annuitant may test his or her ability to work... ability to perform those duties. (d) Limitations on the number of trial work periods. The annuitant may... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2014-04-01 2012-04-01 true Recovery from disability for work in the...

Work Barriers Experienced and Job Accommodations Used by Persons with Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Diseases.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allaire, Saralynn H.; Li, Wei; LaValley, Michael P.

2003-01-01

Many people with arthritis become work disabled, but little is known about the types of work barriers they experience and their use of job accommodations. This article describes work barriers and use of accommodations and examines factors associated with accommodation use in persons with arthritis at risk for work disability. (Contains 30…

The impact of rheumatoid arthritis on the household work performance of women.

PubMed

Allaire, S H; Meenan, R F; Anderson, J J

1991-06-01

We conducted a study to assess whether and to what degree household work disability exists in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to examine the role of health versus family and personal factors as predictors of household work disability. In addition, the participation of other family members and paid employees in household work was evaluated. One hundred forty-two women with RA and 58 female friends/neighbors completed questionnaires which assessed household work performance and health, family, and personal variables. Performance was measured in 4 ways: the current amount of time spent on household work, the proportion of the household work done, and the changes in time and proportion since just before the onset of RA. Functional status was measured via the Health Assessment Questionnaire. Pain, anxiety and depression, and general health perception were measured via the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales. The results indicate that household work disability exists in women with RA, but is substantial only in women with moderate-to-severe disease. In families in which the wife/mother has moderate-to-severe RA, the other family members spend 7 hours more per week on household work than in control families, but there was no increase in the use of paid household employees. Health factors were the strongest predictors of household work disability, but family and personal factors also had significant effects. Household work disability in women with moderate or severe RA merits more attention because of the importance of household work to family functioning and the negative effects that changes in this area can produce.

WA10 Working in partnership with people with learning disabilities: academics and people with learning disabilities working together to disseminate the findings of a confidential inquiry into deaths of people with learning disabilities through film.

PubMed

Russ, Lesley

2015-04-01

In England, between 2010-2013, a Confidential Inquiry into premature Deaths of People with Learning Disabilities was commissioned by the Department of Health. This took place in SW England led by Norah Fry Research Centre at Bristol University. Findings from the investigations into 247 deaths included that men with learning disabilities die, on average 13 years sooner and women, on average 20 years sooner, than the general population. Over 1/3 (37%) were found to be avoidable, being amenable to good quality healthcare. A number of key recommendations were made which required understanding by a range of audiences including people with learning disabilities and their carers. This workshop will demonstrate how academics can work with actors with learning disabilities to disseminate research findings about a sensitive subject in a thought provoking and accessible way. Academics worked with the MISFITs theatre company to make a DVD about the findings and recommendations of the Confidential Inquiry. The DVD presents the findings of the Confidential Inquiry through the stories of John, Bill, Karen and Emily. It powerfully illustrates the importance of diagnosing and treating illness of people with learning disabilities in a timely and appropriate manner and highlights the measures that could be taken to reduce premature deaths in this population. The session provides an example of how the voices of people with learning disabilities can communicate research messages effectively to people with learning disabilities, health and social care practitioners and others who support the learning disability population. © 2015, Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

With or without us? An audit of disability research in the southern African region

PubMed Central

Mji, Gubela; Gcaza, Siphokazi

2014-01-01

Background Disability research in the global South has not received significant critical consideration as to how it can be used to challenge the oppression and marginalisation of people with disabilities in low-income and middle-income countries. The Southern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD) embarked on a programme to use research to influence policy and practice relating to people with disabilities in Southern Africa, and commissioned an audit on research expertise in the region. In this article, a research audit is reported on and situated in a framework of emancipatory research. Objectives This article sets out to describe a preliminary audit of disability research in the southern African region and to draw conclusions about the current state of disability research in the region and make recommendations. Method The research method entailed working with disability researchers in the ten SAFOD member countries and utilising African disability networks hosted on electronic media. Disability researchers working in the region completed 87 questionnaires, which were reviewed through a thematic analysis. Results The discussion of results provides a consideration of definitions of disability; the understanding of disability rights, research topics and methodologies; the participation of people with disabilities in research; and the challenges and opportunities for using research to inform disability activism. Conclusion The conclusion highlights critical issues for future research in the region, and considers how a disability researcher database can be used as a tool for disability organisations to prioritise research that serves a disability rights agenda. PMID:28730009

Disability management practices in education, hotel/motel, and health care workplaces.

PubMed

Williams, Renee M; Westmorland, Muriel G; Shannon, Harry S; Rasheed, Farah; Amick, Benjamin C

2005-03-01

The high costs and the impact of work disability have become a growing concern for workplaces. As a result, workplace disability management approaches have been developed to lower disability costs, protect the employability of workers, and promote early return to work. A stratified random sample of 455 employers in education (n = 157), hotel/motel (n = 110), and health care (n = 188) sectors who completed a mailed Organizational Policies and Practices (OPP) questionnaire is reported. The OPP questionnaire asked questions about eight workplace disability management practices. The article examined the multi-dimensionality, internal consistency, and discriminant validity of the OPP and compares disability management practices across the three sectors. The OPP questionnaire showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.95) and discriminant validity. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for each of the eight subscales demonstrated that there were statistically significant differences between the sectors in ergonomic practices (F (2,452) = 15.8, P < 0.001), disability case management (F (2,452) = 4.6, P < 0.01), return to work (F (2,452) = 10.3, P < 0.001), and people-oriented culture (F (2,452) = 4.5, P < 0.01). On examining disability management practices in education, hotel/motel, and health care sectors, the OPP seems to be a promising instrument that can be used to assess and monitor how employers are managing disability.

Science and Learning Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanovich, Keith E.

1988-01-01

Reactions to H. Lee Swanson's paper "Toward a Metatheory of Learning Disabilities" are outlined, and his arguments are applied to reading disabilities, focusing on the importance of the scientific attitude, the misuse of ecological validity, interpretation of Thomas Kuhn's work, modularity and reading disability, and scientific progress…

Health spending among working-age immigrants with disabilities compared to those born in the US.

PubMed

Tarraf, Wassim; Mahmoudi, Elham; Dillaway, Heather E; González, Hector M

2016-07-01

Immigrants have disparate access to health care. Disabilities can amplify their health care burdens. Examine how US- and foreign-born working-age adults with disabilities differ in their health care spending patterns. Medical Expenditures Panel Survey yearly-consolidated files (2000-2010) on working-age adults (18-64 years) with disabilities. We used three operational definitions of disability: physical, cognitive, and sensory. We examined annual total, outpatient/office-based, prescription medication, inpatient, and emergency department (ED) health expenditures. We tested bivariate logistic and linear regression models to, respectively, assess unadjusted group differences in the propensity to spend and average expenditures. Second, we used multivariable two-part models to estimate and test per-capita expenditures adjusted for predisposing, enabling, health need and behavior indicators. Adjusted for age and sex differences, US-born respondents with physical, cognitive, sensory spent on average $2977, $3312, and $2355 more in total compared to their foreign-born counterparts (P < 0.01). US-born spending was also higher across the four types of health care expenditures considered. Adjusting for the behavioral model factors, especially predisposing and enabling indicators, substantially reduced nativity differences in overall, outpatient/office-based and medication spending but not in inpatient and ED expenditures. Working-age immigrants with disabilities have lower levels of health care use and expenditures compared to their US-born counterparts. Affordable Care Act provisions aimed at increasing access to insurance and primary care can potentially align the consumption patterns of US- and foreign-born disabled working-age adults. More work is needed to understand the pathways leading to differences in hospital and prescription medication care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health Spending Among Working-Age Immigrants With Disabilities Compared To Those Born In The US

PubMed Central

Tarraf, Wassim; Mahmoudi, Elham; Dillaway, Heather E; Gonzalez, Hector M.

2016-01-01

Background Immigrants have disparate access to healthcare. Disabilities can amplify their healthcare burdens. Objective/Hypothesis Examine how US- and foreign-born working-age adults with disabilities differ in their healthcare spending patterns. Methods Medical Expenditures Panel Survey yearly-consolidated files (2000-2010) on working-age adults (18-64 years) with disabilities. We used three operational definitions of disability: physical, cognitive, and sensory. We examined annual total, outpatient/office-based, prescription medication, inpatient, and emergency department (ED) health expenditures. We tested bivariate logistic and linear regression models to, respectively, assess unadjusted group differences in the propensity to spend and average expenditures. Second, we used multivariable two-part models to estimate and test per-capita expenditures adjusted for predisposing, enabling, health need and behavior indicators. Results Adjusted for age and sex differences, US-born respondents with physical, cognitive, sensory spent on average $2,977, $3,312, and $2,355 more in total compared to their foreign-born counterparts (P<0.01). US-born spending was also higher across the four types of healthcare expenditures considered. Adjusting for the behavioral model factors, especially predisposing and enabling indicators, substantially reduced nativity differences in overall, outpatient/office-based and medication spending but not in inpatient and ED expenditures. Conclusions Working-age immigrants with disabilities have lower levels of healthcare use and expenditures compared to their US-born counterparts. Affordable Care Act provisions aimed at increasing access to insurance and primary care can potentially align the consumption patterns of US- and foreign-born disabled working-age adults. More work is needed to understand the pathways leading to differences in hospital and prescription medication care. PMID:26917103

29 CFR 4.162 - Fringe benefits under contracts exceeding $2,500.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... insurance, disability and sickness insurance, accident insurance, vacation and holiday pay, costs of... at a time subsequent to the award but before completion of the contract. Such fringe benefit...

29 CFR 4.162 - Fringe benefits under contracts exceeding $2,500.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... insurance, disability and sickness insurance, accident insurance, vacation and holiday pay, costs of... at a time subsequent to the award but before completion of the contract. Such fringe benefit...

Work Ability Index as tool to identify workers at risk of premature work exit.

PubMed

Roelen, Corné A M; Heymans, Martijn W; Twisk, Jos W R; van der Klink, Jac J L; Groothoff, Johan W; van Rhenen, Willem

2014-12-01

To investigate the Work Ability Index (WAI) as tool for identifying workers at risk of premature work exit in terms of disability pension, unemployment, or early retirement. Prospective cohort study of 11,537 male construction workers (mean age 45.5 years), who completed the WAI at baseline and reported their work status (employed, unemployed, disability pension, or retired) after mean 2.3 years of follow-up. Associations between WAI scores and work status were investigated by multinomial logistic regression analysis. The ability of the WAI to discriminate between workers at high and low risk of premature work exit was analyzed by the area (AUC) under the receiver operating characteristic curve. 9,530 (83 %) construction workers had complete data for analysis. At follow-up, 336 (4 %) workers reported disability pension, 125 (1 %) unemployment, and 255 (3 %) retirement. WAI scores were prospectively associated with the risk of disability pension at follow-up, but not with the risk of unemployment and early retirement. The WAI showed fair discrimination to identify workers at risk of disability pension [AUC = 0.74; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.70-0.77]. The discriminative ability decreased with age from AUC = 0.78 in workers aged 30-39 years to AUC = 0.69 in workers ≥50 years of age. Discrimination failed for unemployment (AUC = 0.51; 95 % CI 0.47-0.55) and early retirement (AUC = 0.58; 95 % CI 0.53-0.61). The WAI can be used to identify construction workers <50 years of age at increased risk of disability pension and invite them for preventive interventions.

The importance of work or productive activity in life care planning and case management.

PubMed

Reid, Christine; Riddick-Grisham, Susan

2015-01-01

The importance of work or productive activity for the well-being, community integration, and quality of life of people living with disabilities is addressed, with implications for life care planning and case management. The role of work or productive activity in our society, and consequences of deprivation if rehabilitation services do not address vocational effects of disabilities, is explored. A continuum of productivity options is introduced; types of vocational rehabilitation assessment processes and interventions are described. The role of vocational rehabilitation services in life care planning and case management is discussed, focusing on quality of life for people living with disabilities. Rehabilitation and health care professionals should understand the importance of work or other productive activity, and support the development of appropriate plans to address those needs among people who have disabilities.

Prevalence and reasons for delaying and foregoing necessary care by the presence and type of disability among working-age adults.

PubMed

Reichard, Amanda; Stransky, Michelle; Phillips, Kimberly; McClain, Monica; Drum, Charles

2017-01-01

While it is commonly accepted that disparities in unmet need for care vary by age, race/ethnicity, income, education, and access to care, literature documenting unmet needs experienced by adults with different types of disabilities is developing. The main objective was to determine whether subgroups of people with disabilities are more likely than people without disabilities to delay/forgo necessary care, in general and among the insured. We used pooled Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data (2004-2010) to examine delaying or forgoing medical, dental, and pharmacy care among five disability subgroups (physical, cognitive, visual, hearing, multiple) and the non-disabled population. Logistic regression was conducted to examine delayed/forgone care, controlling for sociodemographic, health, and health care factors. Over 13% of all working-age adults delayed/forwent necessary care; lack of insurance was the strongest predictor of unmet needs. Among the insured, disability subgroups were greater than two times more likely to report delayed/forgone care than adults without disabilities. Insured working-age adults with multiple chronic conditions and those with ADL/IADL assistance needs had higher odds of delayed or forgone care than their peers without these characteristics. Reasons related to affordability were most often listed as leading to unmet needs, regardless of disability. Although insurance status most strongly predicted unmet needs for care, many people with insurance delayed/forewent necessary care. Even among the insured, all disability subgroups had significantly greater likelihood of having to delay/forgo care than those without disabilities. Differences also existed between the disability subgroups. Cost was most frequently cited reason for unmet needs. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Implementation of a disability management policy in a large healthcare employer: a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods evaluation

PubMed Central

Mustard, Cameron A; Skivington, Kathryn; Lay, Morgan; Lifshen, Marni; Etches, Jacob; Chambers, Andrea

2017-01-01

Objective This study describes the process and outcomes of the implementation of a strengthened disability management policy in a large Canadian healthcare employer. Key elements of the strengthened policy included an emphasis on early contact, the training of supervisors and the integration of union representatives in return-to-work (RTW) planning. Design The study applied mixed methods, combining a process evaluation within the employer and a quasi-experimental outcome evaluation between employers for a 3-year period prior to and following policy implementation in January 2012. Participants Staff in the implementation organisation (n=4000) and staff in a peer group of 29 large hospitals (n=1 19 000). Outcomes Work disability episode incidence and duration. Results Both qualitative and quantitative measures of the implementation process were predominantly positive. Over the 6-year observation period, there were 624 work disability episodes in the organisation and 8604 in the comparison group of 29 large hospitals. The annual per cent change in episode incidence in the organisation was −5.6 (95% CI −9.9 to −1.1) comparable to the annual per cent change in the comparison group: −6.2 (-7.2 to –5.3). Disability episode durations also declined in the organisation, from a mean of 19.4 days (16.5, 22.3) in the preintervention period to 10.9 days (8.7, 13.2) in the postintervention period. Reductions in disability durations were also observed in the comparison group: from a mean of 13.5 days (12.9, 14.1) in the 2009–2011 period to 10.5 days (9.9, 11.1) in the 2012–2014 period. Conclusion The incidence of work disability episodes and the durations of work disability declined strongly in this hospital sector over the 6-year observation period. The implementation of the organisation’s RTW policy was associated with larger reductions in disability durations than observed in the comparison group. PMID:28624757

Education and disability pension: a stronger association than previously found.

PubMed

Bruusgaard, Dag; Smeby, Lisbeth; Claussen, Bjørgulf

2010-11-01

Although the Norwegian Welfare Law includes rigorous medical criteria for granting disability pensions, several non-medical factors have been shown to be associated with and possible causal factors of pensioning. We analysed the relationship between disability pension and detailed information on educational attainment in different diagnostic groups. All ethnic Norwegians aged 18-66 years and alive on 31 December 2003 (n = 2,522,430) were included. Age, sex, the receipt of a disability pension on 31 December 2003, and the diagnosis on the medical certificate were taken from a national social security file. The file also included six levels of education: primary school, low-level secondary school, secondary school, low-level university, university, and research level. We found a dramatic increase in the prevalence of persons granted disability pension with decreasing years of education across all levels of education. The disparities were much stronger than those seen for other health-related parameters and were especially strong for those with musculoskeletal diagnoses. The disability pension is more a consequence of health problems than a proxy for health status. The demonstrated relationship between education and disability pension may be partly explained by exclusion from the work force because of health-related work problems. To facilitate a more inclusive working life, attention should be focused on the work place's capacity to include people with different levels of competence and functioning rather than on the health problems of the employees.

The configuration of job placement for people with disabilities in the current economic contingencies in Italy: Social and clinical implications for health.

PubMed

Iudici, Antonio; Renzi, Cosimo

2015-10-01

In current socioeconomic conditions, working occupies a key role in people's lives, from both practical and existential perspectives. The absence of work can produce a considerable impact on the identity of individuals and entire communities. This emphasis on work is even more important for some groups in society, particularly for people with disabilities. In the Italian context, despite the existence of legislation on the subject, only 16% of people with disabilities have a job. This study was conducted to understand how people with disabilities become included in companies. This research proposes to highlight the ways in which corporate bodies' roles relate to people with disabilities' work in order to assess related theories, beliefs and critical aspects. Using the M.A.D.I.T. (Methodology of Textual Analysis of Computerized Data), some companies' placement managers for people with disabilities were interviewed. This analysis highlights conditions explaining current difficulties, especially in the absence of agreed upon criteria and a delegation. This research highlights the need to carry out a structural reorganization for the relationship between companies and employment agencies to avoid the risk that the lack of communication between the involved parties and the lack of support in the employment process may force companies to consider people with disabilities as an obstacle rather than a resource. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

20 CFR 404.1575 - Evaluation guides if you are self-employed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...) through (e) of this section that are relevant to your work activity. We will use these provisions whenever... the work you do after you have become entitled to disability benefits. If you are entitled to social security disability benefits and you work as a self-employed person, the way we will evaluate your work...

20 CFR 404.1575 - Evaluation guides if you are self-employed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...) through (e) of this section that are relevant to your work activity. We will use these provisions whenever... the work you do after you have become entitled to disability benefits. If you are entitled to social security disability benefits and you work as a self-employed person, the way we will evaluate your work...

Experiences of Social Work Educators Working with Students with Psychiatric Disabilities or Emotional Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazza, Elena

2015-01-01

Social work educators have an ethical responsibility to graduate students who are academically, behaviorally, and professionally prepared to enter the social work profession. Although a student's suitability to the profession is not necessarily hindered because of the effects of a psychiatric disability or an emotional problem, sometimes it is.…

‘Her body [was] like a hard-worked machine’: Women’s work and disability in coalfields literature, 1880-1950

PubMed Central

Jones, Alexandra

2018-01-01

This essay considers the representation of women’s work and disability in British coalfields literature in the period 1880-1950. Industrial settings are a rich source for literature concerned with bodily health, injury and disability and offer insights into the gendering of the working body whether male or female. Situating this largely realist body of novels, stories and plays in its historical context, this article will focus on intersections between work, class and gender. It shows how the vital, but unpaid, work of women in domestic labour was depicted as an extension of the industrial machine, which had clear consequences in terms of high mortality and morbidity rates amongst women. PMID:29333333

Does the economy affect functional restoration outcomes for patients with chronic disabling occupational musculoskeletal disorders?

PubMed

Hartzell, Meredith M; Mayer, Tom G; Neblett, Randy; Marquardt, Dennis J; Gatchel, Robert J

2015-06-01

To determine how the economy affects psychosocial and socioeconomic treatment outcomes in a cohort of chronic disabling occupational musculoskeletal disorder (CDOMD) patients who completed a functional restoration program (FRP). A cohort of 969 CDOMD patients with active workers' compensation claims completed an FRP (a medically-supervised, quantitatively-directed exercise progression program, with multi-modal disability management). A good economy (GE) group (n = 532) was released to work during a low unemployment period (2005-2007), and a poor economy (PE) group (n = 437) was released during a higher unemployment period (2008-2010). Patients were evaluated upon admission for demographic and psychosocial variables, and were reassessed at discharge. Socioeconomic outcomes, including work return and work retention 1 year post-discharge, were collected. Some significant differences in psychosocial self-report data were found, but most of the effect sizes were small, so caution should be made when interpreting the data. Compared to the PE group, the GE group reported more depressive symptoms and disability at admission, but demonstrated a larger decrease in depressive symptoms and disability and increase in self-reported quality of life at discharge. The PE group had lower rates of work return and retention 1-year after discharge, even after controlling for other factors such as length of disability and admission work status. CDOMD patients who completed an FRP in a PE year were less likely to return to, or retain, work 1-year after discharge, demonstrating that a PE can be an additional barrier to post-discharge work outcomes. A difference in State unemployment rates of <3% (7 vs. 5%) had a disproportionate effect on patients' failure to return to (19 vs. 6%) or retain (28 vs. 15%) work.

Cooperation of return-to-work professionals: the challenges of multi-actor work disability management.

PubMed

Liukko, Jyri; Kuuva, Niina

2017-07-01

This article explores which concrete factors hinder or facilitate the cooperation of return-to-work (RTW) professionals in a complex system of multiple stakeholders. The empirical material consists of in-depth interviews with 24 RTW professionals from various organizations involved in work disability management in Finland. The interviews were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The study revealed several kinds of challenges in the cooperation of the professionals. These were related to two partly interrelated themes: communication and distribution of responsibility. The most difficult problems were connected to the cooperation between public employment offices and other stakeholders. However, the study distinguished notable regional differences depending primarily on the scale of the local network. The main areas of improvement proposed by the interviewees were related to better networking of case managers and expansion of expertise. The article argues for the importance of systematic networking and stresses the role of public employment services in the multi-actor management of work disabilities. The article contributes to existing work disability case management models by suggesting the employment administration system as an important component in addition to health care, workplace and insurance systems. The study also highlights the need for expansion of expertise in the field. Implications for Rehabilitation Cooperation between RTW professionals in public employment offices and other organizations involved in work disability management was considered inadequate. In order to improve the cooperation of RTW professionals, the stakeholders need to create more systematic ways of communication and networking with professionals in other organizations. There is a need to expand the expertise in work disability management and rehabilitation, partly by increasing the role of other professionals than physicians.

Participatory ergonomic intervention versus strength training on chronic pain and work disability in slaughterhouse workers: study protocol for a single-blind, randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Sundstrup, Emil; Jakobsen, Markus D; Andersen, Christoffer H; Jay, Kenneth; Persson, Roger; Aagaard, Per; Andersen, Lars L

2013-02-21

The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder, arm and hand is high among slaughterhouse workers, allegedly due to the highly repetitive and forceful exposure of these body regions during work. Work disability is a common consequence of these pains. Lowering the physical exposure through ergonomics intervention is the traditional strategy to reduce the workload. An alternative strategy could be to increase physical capacity of the worker through strength training. This study investigates the effect of two contrasting interventions, participatory ergonomics versus strength training on pain and work disability in slaughterhouse workers with chronic pain. 66 slaughterhouse workers were allocated to 10 weeks of (1) strength training of the shoulder, arm and hand muscles for 3 x 10 minutes per week, or (2) participatory ergonomics involving counseling on workstation adjustment and optimal use of work tools (~usual care control group). Inclusion criteria were (1) working at a slaughterhouse for at least 30 hours per week, (2) pain intensity in the shoulder, elbow/forearm, or hand/wrist of at least 3 on a 0-10 VAS scale during the last three months, (3) pain lasting for more than 3 months, (4) frequent pain (at least 3 days per week) (5) at least moderate work disability, (6) no strength training during the last year, (7) no ergonomics instruction during the last year.Perceived pain intensity (VAS scale 0-10) of the shoulder, elbow/forearm and hand/wrist (primary outcome) and Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Work module, DASH questionnaire) were measured at baseline and 10-week follow-up. Further, total muscle tenderness score and muscle function were assessed during clinical examination at baseline and follow-up. This RCT study will provide experimental evidence of the effectiveness of contrasting work-site interventions aiming at reducing chronic pain and work disability among employees engaged in repetitive and forceful work. ClinicalTrials.gov:NCT01671267.

Long-term mortality risk in individuals with permanent work-related impairment.

PubMed

Scott-Marshall, Heather K; Tompa, Emile; Wang, Ying; Liao, Qing

2014-07-11

Recent estimates indicate that at least one in five activity-limiting injuries occurs at work. Of individuals who suffer these injuries approximately 10% experience some degree of functional impairment. We were interested in investigating long-term mortality risk in individuals with permanent impairment from work injury and to examine whether work disability is a significant explanatory factor. We used a retrospective matched cohort methodology to examine differences in mortality rates between individuals with permanent impairment from a work injury and a group of non-injured controls over a 19-year period. We used a sample of impaired workers to investigate the impact of work disability on mortality risk using percentage of earnings recovery after injury as the key proxy measure. All analyses were stratified by sex. Permanent impairment from a work injury was predictive of premature mortality in both male and female claimants, though the risk was slightly higher among women. Work disability was a key explanatory factor in the rate of death among impaired workers, the effects being more pronounced in men. We also found that higher impairment level was associated with mortality in men but not in women. The study demonstrates the impact of permanent work-related impairment on longevity and identifies work disability as an important determinant of mortality risk. Given the disconnect between impairment ratings derived from standard diagnostic tools and labour-market activity after accident, more research is needed on the specific factors that contribute to work disability, particularly those related to psycho-social health and well-being.

Certified Rehabilitation Counselors Role in the Acceptance of Disability of Returning Afghanistan and Iraq Military Veterans with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frain, Michael; Torres, Ayse; Bishop, Malachy; Sakala, Kelly; Khan-Jordan, Cindy; Schoen, Barbara

2016-01-01

Purpose: To understand the level of acceptance of disability by veterans and rehabilitation counselor's role in that acceptance. Method: The Acceptance of Disability Scale-Revised was given to 117 veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq who acquired disabilities. Their experiences working with certified rehabilitation counselors was also…

Complete Learning Disabilities Handbook: Ready-To-Use Strategies & Activities for Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities. New Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harwell, Joan M.

The 16 chapters of this comprehensive guide to teaching students with learning disabilities cover the following topics: (1) an overview of the field of learning disabilities (characteristics, causes, prevalence, prognosis, and resources); (2) research in the field of learning disabilities (how the brain works, how children learn); (3) relevant…

The Americans with Disabilities Act, Students with Disabilities, and the Role of the Academic Advisor.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarrow, Jane E.

1996-01-01

Presents both advice and cautions for the academic advisor working with college students with disabilities, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Includes specific discussion of the dangers of stereotyping people or professions and a reminder to view this population as students, with disabilities secondary to student status, and…

Disability Awareness and Action Working Group (DAAWG) Event with

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-10-12

Dr. Temple Grandin addresses employees as the keynote speaker at Kennedy Space Center's annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) event. A prominent author and speaker on animal behavior and autism, she is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Kennedy's Disability Awareness and Action Working Group partnered with the Kennedy Networking Opportunities for Women group to sponsor the presentation.

The Effects of Working at Gaining Employment Skills on the Social and Vocational Skills of Adolescents with Disabilities: A School-Based Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Christopher; Doren, Bonnie

2013-01-01

The current investigation was designed to evaluate the effects of the Working at Gaining Employment Skills (WAGES) curriculum on the social and occupational skills of adolescents with disabilities. Adolescents with disabilities were assigned to either an intervention or control condition. Youth in the intervention group were exposed to the WAGES…

To Gain, Retain and Retrain: The Role of Post-School Education for People with a Disability. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polidano, Cain; Vu, Ha

2011-01-01

This study extends previous work of Cain Polidano and Kostas Mavromaras (2010) which showed that vocational education and training (VET) qualifications had a positive effect on the chances of finding work for people with a disability. It teases out this earlier result by looking at whether, for those who already have a disability, completing a VET…

Relation between Working Memory and Self-Regulation Capacities and the Level of Social Skills Acquisition in People with Moderate Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ducic, Bojan; Gligorovic, Milica; Kaljaca, Svetlana

2018-01-01

Background: Social competence deficit is one of the main characteristics of intellectual disability. The aim of this paper is to determine the influence of working memory (WM) and self-regulation (SR) on social skills in persons with moderate intellectual disability (MID). Method: The sample included 41 participants with MID, aged 14-21.…

Programs That Work Producing People at Work: Annual Report of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Fiscal Year 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Washington, DC.

This report from the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, a federal agency that coordinates and promotes public and private efforts to enhance the employment of people with disabilities, describes committee activities during Fiscal Year 1999 (October 1, 1998- September 30, 1999). The first part of the report profiles…

Job Burnout amongst the Institutional Caregivers Working with Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Utilization of the Chinese Version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Lan-Ping; Lin, Jin-Ding

2013-01-01

Burnout has been considered important to understand the well-being of people who work with individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD). To identify personal and workplace characteristics associated with burnout, this study aimed to utilize the Chinese version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory to provide a…

Effect of a Physical Education Teacher's Disability on High School Pupils' Learning and Perceptions of Teacher Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Lance G.; Curtner-Smith, Matthew

2009-01-01

Background: To date, most of the work done by those who do research in adapted sport pedagogy (a sub-discipline of sport pedagogy focused on modified forms of physical education that address the needs of pupils with disabilities) has focused on the experience of pupils with disabilities and relatively little work has examined the difficulties…

[Ergonomic movement in dentistry].

PubMed

Bos-Huizer, J J A; Bolderman, F W

2014-02-01

'Ergonomic movement in dentistry' is a recently developed ergonomic programme for dental healthcare professionals which is intended to prevent work-related complaints and assist in recovering from them. The programme is recommended by disability insurers in cases of specific physical complaints, limitations or disability, as a consequence of which a dental healthcare professional is unable to carry out his or her work. In a four-day training programme, in one's own workplace, skills are taught in the areas of work organization, work attitude and movement. These skills are directly applied in the treatment ofpatients and, if necessary, further improved. In this way, one advances step by step to an ergonomic way of working. Evaluations have shown that the programme is advantageous for the attitude toward work, the workplace and the work organization as well as the reduction of disability.

Trends, prospects and deprivation index of disability in India: Evidences from census 2001 and 2011.

PubMed

Awasthi, Ashish; Pandey, C M; Dubey, Manisha; Rastogi, Sanjay

2017-04-01

Since the dawn of civilization, disabilities have existed in various dimensions of human life. World Health Organization (WHO) defines disability as an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. Globally, approximately 1 billion people have some form of disability, and approximately 20% have significant functioning impairments. This study aims to estimate the level, trends and prospects of disability in 640 districts of India. Data for the present study has been taken from Census of India, 2001 and 2011. A Disability Index was calculated at the district level, and state level indexing was done using the Disability Deprivation Index. The population for the year 2021 was projected using the exponential growth rate method. The Disability Deprivation Index was calculated using child labor, adult unemployment, illiteracy, and the ratio of beggars in the disabled population. The study reveals that the proportion of the disabled population in India was 2.10% in 2001, which increased to 2.21% in 2011. According to the Disability Deprivation Index, Maharashtra was the best-performing state in 2011. There were 4.90 million new cases of disability in India during 2001-11, out of which 1.52 million cases belonged to non-congenital disability. There is a rise in the disabled population in India, which needs special attention. The working status of the disabled is gloomy. The majority of the disabled people are non-working and need adequate rehabilitation measures that would facilitate employment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The complexity of rural contexts experienced by community disability workers in three southern African countries

PubMed Central

van Pletzen, Ermien; Lorenzo, Theresa

2015-01-01

An understanding of rural communities is fundamental to effective community-based rehabilitation work with persons with disabilities. By removing barriers to community participation, persons with disabilities are enabled to satisfy their fundamental human needs. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the challenges that rural community disability workers (CDWs) face in trying to realise these objectives. This qualitative interpretive study, involving in-depth interviews with 16 community disability workers in Botswana, Malawi and South Africa, revealed the complex ways in which poverty, inappropriately used power and negative attitudes of service providers and communities combine to create formidable barriers to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in families and rural communities. The paper highlights the importance of understanding and working with the concept of ‘disability’ from a social justice and development perspective. It stresses that by targeting attitudes, actions and relationships, community disability workers can bring about social change in the lives of persons with disabilities and the communities in which they live. PMID:28730029

Social Support and Coping as Mediators or Moderators of the Impact of Work Stressors on Burnout in Intellectual Disability Support Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devereux, Jason M.; Hastings, Richard P.; Noone, Stephen J.; Firth, Alison; Totsika, Vaso

2009-01-01

Theories applied to work stress predict that coping will mediate and support will moderate the impact of work demands on worker well-being. We explored the mediating and moderating effects of coping and support on the relationship between perceived work demands and burnout in support staff working with adults with intellectual disabilities.…

20 CFR 220.11 - Definitions as used in this subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... tests which provide objective measures of a claimant's maximal work ability and includes functional... DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Under the Railroad Retirement Act for Work in an Employee's Regular Railroad... position to which the employee holds seniority rights or the position which he or she left to work for a...

20 CFR 220.11 - Definitions as used in this subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... tests which provide objective measures of a claimant's maximal work ability and includes functional... DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Under the Railroad Retirement Act for Work in an Employee's Regular Railroad... position to which the employee holds seniority rights or the position which he or she left to work for a...

20 CFR 220.11 - Definitions as used in this subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... tests which provide objective measures of a claimant's maximal work ability and includes functional... DETERMINING DISABILITY Disability Under the Railroad Retirement Act for Work in an Employee's Regular Railroad... position to which the employee holds seniority rights or the position which he or she left to work for a...

Measuring workplace social support for workers with disability.

PubMed

Lysaght, Rosemary; Fabrigar, Leandre; Larmour-Trode, Sherrey; Stewart, Jeremy; Friesen, Margaret

2012-09-01

Social support in the workplace has been has been demonstrated to serve as a contributor to a worker's ability to manage work demands and to manage stress. Research in the area of disability management indicates that interpersonal factors play an important role in the success of return-to-work interventions. The role of workplace support has received limited attention in rehabilitation, despite the salience of support to the disability management process. Prior to this study, there existed no validated quantitative measure of social support for workers who re-enter the workplace following injury or disability. A support measure prototype, the Support for Workers with Disability Scale, was tested with 152 workers in accommodated work situations. Four validation tools were used to assess criterion validity. Factor analysis was used to validate the content structure and reduce the total number of response items. Additional analysis was conducted to determine the ability of the measure to discriminate between groups, and to provide insight into how social support operates in workplaces. Based on analysis, a reduced measure consisting of 41 items and measuring supervisor, co-worker, and non-work supports was created. Secondary analysis disclosed information concerning the nature of supports in the workplace. Higher levels of support were identified for workers with fewer work role limitations and for those with one versus multiple injury claims. This tool provides a validated outcome measure for research examining the social aspects of workplace disability. It can also serve as a quality management tool for human resource professionals engaged in continuous improvement of disability management programs.

Physical health-related quality of life predicts disability pension due to musculoskeletal disorders: seven years follow-up of the Hordaland Health Study Cohort

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Musculoskeletal diseases are characterized by a high degree of comorbidity with common mental disorders and are a major cause of health-related exclusion from working life. Using a prospective design we aimed to examine the relative importance of physical and mental health-related quality of life as predictors of disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases. Methods A subsample (N = 18581) born 1953–1957, participated in the The Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) during 1997–1999, and was followed through December 31st 2004. Baseline measures of health-related quality of life were estimated using the Physical (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the Short Form-12 (SF-12). Further information on education, occupation, smoking, physical activity, number of musculoskeletal pain sites and BMI were provided by questionnaires and health examination. The association between self-perceived physical and mental health and subsequent disability pension, obtained from the national database of health and social benefits was estimated using Cox regression analyses. Results Participants reporting poor physical health (quartile 1) had a marked increased risk for disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases (age and gender-adjusted hazard ratio = 22.1, 95% CI = 12.5–39.0) compared with those reporting good/somewhat good physical health (quartiles 4 and 3 combined). Adjustment for socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors slightly attenuated the association (hazard ratio = 16.7), and adding number of reported pain sites weakened the association even more (hazard ratio = 7.1, 95% CI = 3.8–12.8). Also, participants reporting poor mental health had a higher risk for disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases (age and gender adjusted hazard ratio = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.3–2.6); however, in the final model the risk was not statistically significant. Conclusions The physical component in health-related quality of life (SF-12) was a strong predictor of disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases, whereas the mental component played a less prominent role. PMID:24528674

Physical health-related quality of life predicts disability pension due to musculoskeletal disorders: seven years follow-up of the Hordaland Health Study Cohort.

PubMed

Haukenes, Inger; Farbu, Erlend H; Riise, Trond; Tell, Grethe S

2014-02-14

Musculoskeletal diseases are characterized by a high degree of comorbidity with common mental disorders and are a major cause of health-related exclusion from working life. Using a prospective design we aimed to examine the relative importance of physical and mental health-related quality of life as predictors of disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases. A subsample (N = 18,581) born 1953-1957, participated in the The Hordaland Health Study (HUSK) during 1997-1999, and was followed through December 31st 2004. Baseline measures of health-related quality of life were estimated using the Physical (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the Short Form-12 (SF-12). Further information on education, occupation, smoking, physical activity, number of musculoskeletal pain sites and BMI were provided by questionnaires and health examination. The association between self-perceived physical and mental health and subsequent disability pension, obtained from the national database of health and social benefits was estimated using Cox regression analyses. Participants reporting poor physical health (quartile 1) had a marked increased risk for disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases (age and gender-adjusted hazard ratio = 22.1, 95% CI = 12.5-39.0) compared with those reporting good/somewhat good physical health (quartiles 4 and 3 combined). Adjustment for socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors slightly attenuated the association (hazard ratio = 16.7), and adding number of reported pain sites weakened the association even more (hazard ratio = 7.1, 95% CI = 3.8-12.8). Also, participants reporting poor mental health had a higher risk for disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases (age and gender adjusted hazard ratio = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.3-2.6); however, in the final model the risk was not statistically significant. The physical component in health-related quality of life (SF-12) was a strong predictor of disability pension due to musculoskeletal diseases, whereas the mental component played a less prominent role.

The AAS Working Group on Accessibility and Disability (WGAD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monkiewicz, Jacqueline A.; Shanahan, J.; Murphy, Nicholas Arnold; Gilbert, Lauren

2016-06-01

The Working Group on Accessibility and Disability (WGAD) was formed by the Council of the American Astronomical Society in late 2015 in order to monitor and addresses issues of inclusivity in the astronomical community related to disability. WGAD promotes of the principles of universal accessibility and disability justice in both professional astronomy and astronomy education. The short term goals of WGAD for the next two years include producing a set of guidelines for a wide range of activities including supporting improved access to journals, data, and conferences. We will provide information and training regarding universal design as a guiding principle. The longer term goals of WGAD include integrating universal design as primary design strategy across the board in our many aspects of daily work life.

Does affective organizational commitment and experience of meaning at work predict risk of disability pensioning? An analysis of register-based outcomes using pooled data on 40,554 observations in four occupational groups.

PubMed

Clausen, Thomas; Burr, Hermann; Borg, Vilhelm

2014-06-01

The aim of this study is to investigate whether experience of meaning at work (MAW) and affective organizational commitment (AOC) predict risk of disability pensioning in four occupational groups. Survey data from 40,554 individuals were fitted to a national register (DREAM) containing information on payments of disability pension. Using multi-adjusted Cox-regression, observations were followed in the DREAM-register to assess risk of disability pensioning. Low levels of MAW significantly increased risk of disability pensioning during follow-up referencing high levels of MAW. Respondents with medium levels of AOC had a significantly reduced risk of disability pensioning, when compared to respondents with high levels of AOC. Furthermore, results indicate an interaction effect between AOC and MAW in predicting risk of disability pension. AOC and MAW are significantly associated with risk of disability pensioning. Promoting MAW and managing AOC in contemporary workplaces may contribute towards reducing risk of disability pensioning. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The incidence of anxiety and depression among employees--the role of psychosocial work characteristics.

PubMed

Andrea, Helene; Bültmann, Ute; van Amelsvoort, Ludovic G P M; Kant, Ymert

2009-01-01

Anxiety and depression are prevalent among employees and are associated with functional disability and work impairment. To date, little is known about the incidence and possible risk factors for developing anxiety and depression in the working population. Study aims were to (a) determine the incidence of subclinical anxiety and depression in a general working population and (b) identify the psychosocial work characteristics associated with the onset of subclinical anxiety and depression. This prospective study is based on 3,707 employees participating in the Maastricht Cohort Study on Fatigue at Work. Psychosocial work characteristics were measured in May 2000; anxiety and depression were measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in April 2002. The cumulative 23-month incidence for subclinical anxiety and depression was 4.6 and 3.3%, respectively. High psychological job demands increased the risk for both subsequent anxiety and depression. Moreover, low social support was predictive for the onset of anxiety, whereas job insecurity increased the risk for the onset of depression. These prospective associations were independent of potential confounding variables and the other psychosocial work characteristics. Adverse psychosocial work characteristics are significant predictors for the onset of subclinical anxiety and depression in the general working population. These findings encourage intervention studies testing whether modifying the psychosocial work environment reduces both anxiety and depressive symptoms among employees.

Employment of individuals in the Social Security disability programs.

PubMed

O'Leary, Paul; Livermore, Gina A; Stapleton, David C

2011-01-01

The articles in this special issue present findings from research on the employment and work-related activities of individuals receiving benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs, and on the factors that hinder their efforts to work at levels that lead to exiting the disability rolls. This article introduces the other articles, highlights their important findings, and discusses the implications for ongoing efforts to increase the earnings and self-sufficiency of these beneficiaries, such as the Ticket to Work program and the Benefit Offset National Demonstration.

Financing services for developmentally disabled people: Directions for reform

PubMed Central

Tompkins, Arnold R.; Porter, Margaret E.; Harahan, Mary F.

1988-01-01

The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services established a working group to examine current Federal policies affecting the financing of services to persons with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. This article summarizes the Working Group's Report to the Secretary. The working group concluded that Federal policies can act as a barrier to community and family living opportunities. Policy alternatives were identified that emphasize flexibility in order to provide appropriate services in a variety of settings, targeting services to the most severely disabled and fixing Federal costs. PMID:10318209

20 CFR 404.1575 - Evaluation guides if you are self-employed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... 404.1575 Section 404.1575 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE... the work you do after you have become entitled to disability benefits. If you are entitled to social... this section, social security disability benefits means disability insurance benefits for a disabled...

20 CFR 404.1575 - Evaluation guides if you are self-employed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.... 404.1575 Section 404.1575 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE... the work you do after you have become entitled to disability benefits. If you are entitled to social... this section, social security disability benefits means disability insurance benefits for a disabled...

Disability as a Dialectical Concept: Building on Vygotsky's Defectology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bottcher, Louise; Dammeyer, Jesper

2012-01-01

The legacy of defectology, Vygotsky's theoretical work on children with disabilities, still offers a useful approach in disability research. Vygotsky understood disability as an incongruence between the individual's psychological structure and the structure of cultural forms. The incongruence describes a dialectical relation between the person…

Review of practices for keeping people with disabilities in employment: moving beyond the concept of compensation to implement a developmental approach.

PubMed

Bourmaud, Gaëtan; Rétaux, Xavier

2012-01-01

In France, there are strict laws in place to ensure that people with disabilities have access to, and can remain in employment. In this context, many businesses have "group agreements", to support and fund in-house actions in this area. For the last five years, as part of our work as consultant ergonomists, we have carried out over fifty ergonomics interventions for one of our clients to adapt the working environment for persons with disabilities. This paper presents an analysis of our practices to adapt working environment for employees with disabilities by means of a review of these different interventions. This analysis of practices specifically focuses on an issue we consider to be of vital importance: how to get past the concept of an impairment which can be compensated for with technical solutions, a concept in which both French legislation, and the practices of certain professionals working in the field of occupational disability are firmly rooted, and move towards a developmental approach, with the aim of designing an "enabling environment" [2-4,13].

Organizational characteristics as predictors of work disability: a prospective study among sick employees of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.

PubMed

Schröer, C A P; Janssen, M; van Amelsvoort, L G P M; Bosma, H; Swaen, G M H; Nijhuis, F J N; van Eijk, J

2005-09-01

This article reports a prospective study that focused on the influence of organizational structure and organizational culture on the outcome of sickness absence, return to work or work disability. Former studies of determinants of work disability hardly have given attention to organizational characteristics and, if so, not following a appropriate prospective design. The study population consisted of 455 employees of 45 for-profit and not-for-profit companies participating in the Maastricht Cohort Study on fatigue at work who were on sick leave for at least 6 weeks. Both independent variables which were type of company, size, centralization of decision making and organizational culture, and covariates, which were sex, age, educational level, fatigue, and chronic illness, were all measured before employees reported sick. The dependent variable outcome of the sickness absence, mainly return to work or work disability, was measured 15 months after reporting sick. Multilevel logistic regression analysis, with organizational characteristics as level 2 independent variables and demographic and health characteristics as covariates, suggested that the type of company (for-profit/private or not-for-profit/public) is predictive of the outcome of sickness absence (crude OR = 2.21; CI: 1.16-4.20), but this may be partially due to a higher proportion of fatigued and chronically ill employees in not-for-profit companies (adjusted OR = 2.09; CI: 0.93-4.37). Findings about the role of some other organizational characteristics, like organizational culture, were inconclusive. Organizational characteristics should next to health characteristics be included in the models of studies which aim at predicting which sick employees are at risk for work disability. To prevent work disability not-for-profit companies might be stimulated to more active return-to-work policy by charging them with the costs of it.

Assessing work disability for social security benefits: international models for the direct assessment of work capacity.

PubMed

Geiger, Ben Baumberg; Garthwaite, Kayleigh; Warren, Jon; Bambra, Clare

2017-08-25

It has been argued that social security disability assessments should directly assess claimants' work capacity, rather than relying on proxies such as on functioning. However, there is little academic discussion of how such assessments could be conducted. The article presents an account of different models of direct disability assessments based on case studies of the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, utilising over 150 documents and 40 expert interviews. Three models of direct work disability assessments can be observed: (i) structured assessment, which measures the functional demands of jobs across the national economy and compares these to claimants' functional capacities; (ii) demonstrated assessment, which looks at claimants' actual experiences in the labour market and infers a lack of work capacity from the failure of a concerned rehabilitation attempt; and (iii) expert assessment, based on the judgement of skilled professionals. Direct disability assessment within social security is not just theoretically desirable, but can be implemented in practice. We have shown that there are three distinct ways that this can be done, each with different strengths and weaknesses. Further research is needed to clarify the costs, validity/legitimacy, and consequences of these different models. Implications for rehabilitation It has recently been argued that social security disability assessments should directly assess work capacity rather than simply assessing functioning - but we have no understanding about how this can be done in practice. Based on case studies of nine countries, we show that direct disability assessment can be implemented, and argue that there are three different ways of doing it. These are "demonstrated assessment" (using claimants' experiences in the labour market), "structured assessment" (matching functional requirements to workplace demands), and "expert assessment" (the judgement of skilled professionals). While it is possible to implement a direct assessment of work capacity for social security benefits, further research is necessary to understand how best to maximise validity, legitimacy, and cost-effectiveness.

What is an Intellectual Disability?

MedlinePlus

... bus to get to work. Adults with intellectual disabilities often have jobs and learn to live independently or in a group home. Kids with intellectual disabilities want to develop their skills to the best ...

Psychosocial Work-Related Predictors and Consequences of Personal Burnout among Staff Working with People with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozak, Agnessa; Kersten, Maren; Schillmoller, Zita; Nienhaus, Albert

2013-01-01

The purposes of this study were to investigate the potential predictors of personal burnout among staff working with people with intellectual disabilities and to investigate whether personal burnout is associated with health and work-related outcomes. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 2011 in 30 residential facilities in northern Germany…

Factors influencing the duration of work-related disability: a population-based study of Washington State workers' compensation.

PubMed

Cheadle, A; Franklin, G; Wolfhagen, C; Savarino, J; Liu, P Y; Salley, C; Weaver, M

1994-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine factors predictive of duration of work-related disability. Multivariate survival analysis techniques were used to conduct a population-based, retrospective cohort study on a random sample of 28,473 workers' compensation claims from Washington State filed for injuries occurring in 1987 to 1989. The principal outcome measure was length of time for which compensation for lost wages was paid, used as a surrogate for duration of temporary total disability. The findings suggest that, even after adjusting for severity of injury, older age, female gender, and a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome or back/neck sprain significantly predict longer duration of disability. Other predictors that were stable and significant, but involved lower magnitudes of effect included divorced marital status, firm size of fewer than 50 employees, higher country unemployment rates, and construction and agricultural work. Greater disability prevention efforts targeting these higher risk subgroups could have significant economic and public health effects. The greatest impact may be on claimants who remain disabled at 6 months after an injury that did not require hospitalization.

Disability Insurance Is Part of the Solution, Not a Cause of Work Disability: Response to Burkhauser and Daly

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reno, Virginia P.; Ekman, Lisa D.

2012-01-01

Burkhauser and Daly claim that Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is growing at an unsustainable rate and has depressed employment rates and incomes of people with disabilities following enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. In the authors' view, SSDI is sustainable and affordable, despite increasing prevalence of…

Social Security Disability Programs: An International Perspective, Austria, Canada, Finland, Israel, Sweden, Netherlands, Federal Republic of Germany, England. Monograph Number Forty-One.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkowitz, Monroe; And Others

The papers in this volume synthesize international disability policies, providing a cross-national perspective on disability definitions, the criteria for entitlement to disability benefits, and measures to facilitate a return to work for disabled individuals. Two papers, which were presented at the International Research Conference on Social…

The challenges of providing palliative care for people with intellectual disabilities: a literature review.

PubMed

Dunkley, Susie; Sales, Rachel

2014-06-01

People with intellectual disabilities are often marginalised from mainstream health-care services because of the complexities of their disability. They are under-referred to specialist palliative care owing to a limited understanding of its role and little collaborative working. Furthermore, professionals caring for people with intellectual disabilities and palliative care services often lack knowledge about and confidence in their ability to meet the needs of people with an intellectual disability who require palliative care. This literature review explores the challenges of providing palliative care for people with intellectual disability. It highlights that training requirements need to be effectively identified, referrals between professional groups made, and the perspectives of patients understood to overcome the marginalisation of people with intellectual disability. There is a need for ongoing staff development focusing on staff confidence, collaborative working between professionals, and the empowerment of people with intellectual disability to be involved in decisions about their end-of-life care. Further research is needed to examine the most effective way of capturing the perspectives of those with intellectual disability and of enabling people with intellectual disability to access and engage with health surveillance, cancer screening, and palliative care services.

Breast cancer treatment and work disability: patient perspectives.

PubMed

Tiedtke, Corine; Dierckx de Casterlé, Bernadette; de Rijk, Angelique; Christiaens, Marie-Rose; Donceel, Peter

2011-12-01

Most female breast cancer patients are forced to interrupt their professional activities during treatment. Qualitative research was carried out to assess women's experiences of being work disabled because of breast cancer. In-depth interviews were analyzed to understand patient's experiences and to gain more insight in their perspectives on living with breast cancer. We identified a 'three-experience model': (1) disruption, with the feeling of irreparable loss, despair and no hope for the future; (2) episode, an unpleasant and inconvenient period, after which life continues as before; and/or (3) meaningful period, during which new life priorities' are set. The different experiences will require different types of support, especially concerning communication around disability and returning to work. Our findings highlight the need of an individual approach of the management of work disability for breast cancer patients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Racial And Ethnic Differences In The Frequency Of Workplace Injuries And Prevalence Of Work-Related Disability.

PubMed

Seabury, Seth A; Terp, Sophie; Boden, Leslie I

2017-02-01

Occupational injuries and illnesses lead to significant health care costs and productivity losses for millions of workers each year. This study used national survey data to test for differences between members of minority groups and non-Hispanic white workers in the risk of workplace injuries and the prevalence of work-related disabilities. Non-Hispanic black workers and foreign-born Hispanic workers worked in jobs with the highest injury risk, on average, even after adjustment for education and sex. These elevated levels of workplace injury risk led to a significant increase in the prevalence of work-related disabilities for non-Hispanic black and foreign-born Hispanic workers. These findings suggest that disparities in economic opportunities expose members of minority groups to increased risk of workplace injury and disability. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

The importance of work or productive activity in life care planning and case management

PubMed Central

Reid, Christine; Riddick-Grisham, Susan

2015-01-01

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The importance of work or productive activity for the well-being, community integration, and quality of life of people living with disabilities is addressed, with implications for life care planning and case management. BACKGROUND: The role of work or productive activity in our society, and consequences of deprivation if rehabilitation services do not address vocational effects of disabilities, is explored. A continuum of productivity options is introduced; types of vocational rehabilitation assessment processes and interventions are described. PURPOSE: The role of vocational rehabilitation services in life care planning and case management is discussed, focusing on quality of life for people living with disabilities. CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation and health care professionals should understand the importance of work or other productive activity, and support the development of appropriate plans to address those needs among people who have disabilities. PMID:26409330

Disability identity development model: Voices from the ADA-generation.

PubMed

Forber-Pratt, Anjali J; Zape, Marianne P

2017-04-01

For persons with disabilities, 2015 was a historic year, marking the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and the 40th anniversary of the passing of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It is important to consider the effects of this fundamental shift towards equal opportunity and participation on persons with disabilities' identity development. In practice, however, there are few empirical studies that have looked at this phenomenon and even fewer models of disability identity development. We conducted a qualitative study to explore the disability identity development of college students with disabilities. At two research sites, we conducted individual interviews and observations with 17 college students with varying disabilities, and used in vivo and structural coding analysis to identify and develop themes. The results of this study led to establishing a model of psychosocial identity development for individuals with disabilities. The model highlights four developmental statuses: acceptance, relationship, adoption and engagement. Sharing voices from the participants themselves, we also provide commentary on the possible impacts of this work for healthcare professionals and areas for future research. Our findings suggest that this model of psychosocial disability identity development can help to provide an understanding of the psychological processes that individuals with disabilities go through. The model also has application as a framework for healthcare professionals and psychologists who are working with individuals with disabilities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knowledge of HIV-related disabilities and challenges in accessing care: Qualitative research from Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Zuurmond, Maria; Ferrand, Rashida; Kuper, Hannah

2017-01-01

Introduction While the rapid expansion in antiretroviral therapy access in low and middle income countries has resulted in dramatic declines in mortality rates, many people living with HIV face new or worsening experiences of disability. As nearly 1 in 20 adults are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa–many of whom are likely to develop disabling sequelae from long-term infection, co-morbidities and side effects of their treatment–understanding the availability and accessibility of services to address HIV-related disabilities is of vital importance. The aim of this study thus is to explore knowledge of HIV-related disabilities amongst stakeholders working in the fields of HIV and disability and factors impacting uptake and provision of interventions for preventing, treating or managing HIV-related disabilities. Methods In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten stakeholders based in Harare, Zimbabwe, who were working in the fields of either disability or HIV. Stakeholders were identified through a priori stakeholder analysis. Thematic Analysis, complemented by constant comparison as described in Grounded Theory, was used to analyse findings. Results All key informants reported some level of knowledge of HIV-related disability, mostly from observations made in their line of work. However, they reported no interventions or policies were in place specifically to address HIV-related disability. While referrals between HIV and rehabilitation providers were not uncommon, no formal mechanisms had been established for collaborating on prevention, identification and management. Additional barriers to accessing and providing services to address HIV-related disabilities included: the availability of resources, including trained professionals, supplies and equipment in both the HIV and rehabilitation sectors; lack of disability-inclusive adaptations, particularly in HIV services; heavy centralization of available services in urban areas, without accessible, affordable transportation links; and attitudes and understanding among service providers and people living with HIV-related disabilities. Conclusions As people living with HIV are surviving longer, HIV-related disabilities will become a major source of disability globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where infection is endemic. Preventing, treating and managing HIV-related disabilities must become a key component of both HIV response efforts and rehabilitation strategies. PMID:28793316

"It's One of the Hardest Jobs in the World": The Experience and Understanding of Qualified Nurses Who Work with Individuals Diagnosed with Both Learning Disability and Personality Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Amy; Kiemle, Gundi

2015-01-01

Background: This study examines the experiences of qualified nurses working with individuals diagnosed with both intellectual disability and personality disorder (PD) in a medium-secure forensic intellectual disability setting. Potential training needs are highlighted, as well as other ways in which services could better support staff to work…

Disability Awareness and Action Working Group (DAAWG) Event with

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-10-12

Dr. Temple Grandin speaks with employees following Kennedy Space Center's annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) event. Grandin served as keynote speaker. A prominent author and speaker on animal behavior and autism, she is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Kennedy's Disability Awareness and Action Working Group partnered with the Kennedy Networking Opportunities for Women group to sponsor the presentation.

SSA Disability: Other Programs May Provide Lessons for Improving Return-to-Work Efforts. Testimony before the Subcommittee on Social Security, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bovbjerg, Barbara D.

This report compares the Social Security Administration's Disability Insurance (DI) program and the practices of the private sector and other countries in helping people with severe disabilities return to work. Information was gathered in in-depth interviews and a review of policy documents and program data at three private sector disability…

Working as a doctor when chronically ill or disabled: comments made by doctors responding to UK surveys.

PubMed

Smith, Fay; Goldacre, Michael J; Lambert, Trevor W

2016-07-01

To report a qualitative study of themes doctors raised spontaneously, in a large-scale prospective cohort study covering many aspects of their medical careers, when referring to their own chronic illness or disability. Questionnaire survey. UK. Questionnaires were sent one, five and 10 years after graduation to 44,539 doctors who qualified between 1993 and 2012 in the UK: 38,613 questionnaires were returned and 11,859 respondents provided comments made by doctors about their training or work. The comments of 123 doctors about their own chronic illness or disability. Main themes raised included poor support for doctors with chronic illness or disability, delays in and changes to careers (either planned ahead or imposed), the impact of pressure at work, difficulties returning to work after illness, limitations on career choices and inadequate careers advice for doctors with chronic illness or disabilities. More needs to be done to ensure that doctors with chronic illness or disability receive appropriate support. Occupational health guidance should be monitored closely, with more support for ill doctors including adjustments to the job, help if needed with morale and mental health, and advice on career options. Further studies should establish the prevalence of long-term health conditions among doctors.

Attachment to employment and education before work disability pension due to a mental disorder among young adults.

PubMed

Mattila-Holappa, Pauliina; Joensuu, Matti; Ahola, Kirsi; Vahtera, Jussi; Virtanen, Marianna

2016-05-13

We examined attachment to employment and education among young adults before they were granted a fixed-term work disability pension due to psychiatric diagnosis, and the factors associated with this attachment. The data comprised all persons aged 18-34 who received a new-onset fixed-term disability pension compensation due to a mental disorder in Finland in 2008 (N = 1163). The data were derived from pension applications and the enclosed medical records, and were linked to employment records from a period of three years before the disability pension. We analysed the factors associated with attachment to employment or education with log-binomial regression analysis. Fifty percent of the participants were attached to employment or education before work disability pension. The attached were more often women; had higher basic and vocational education; had mood disorder rather than psychosis diagnosis as a primary diagnosis; and had no record of harmful alcohol use or drug use, or recorded symptoms of mental disorders already at school-age. The level of attachment to employment or education before work disability pension is low among young adults with mental disorders and several risk factors predict poor attachment; severe or comorbid mental disorder, early-life psychiatric morbidity, substance use, male sex, low basic education, and lacking vocational education.

Investigating the factors that affect the communication of death-related bad news to people with intellectual disabilities by staff in residential and supported living services: An interview study.

PubMed

Tuffrey-Wijne, I; Rose, T

2017-08-01

Most staff working in intellectual disability services will be confronted with people with intellectual disabilities who need support around death, dying and bereavement. Previous studies suggest that intellectual disability staff tend to protect clients from knowing about death and avoid communication about death. The aims of this study were to gain further insight into the individual, organisational and contextual factors that affect the communication of death-related bad news to people with intellectual disabilities by intellectual disability staff and to develop guidelines for services to enable appropriate communication with clients about death and dying. Semi-structured interviews were held with 20 social care staff working in intellectual disability residential or supported living services in London, who had supported a client affected by death-related bad news in the past 6 months. Staff found supporting people with intellectual disabilities around death and dying extremely difficult and tended to avoid communication about death. The following factors had a particularly strong influence on staff practice around communicating death-related bad news: fear and distress around death; life and work experience; and organisational culture. Staff attitudes to death communication had a stronger influence than their client's level of cognitive or communicative abilities. Managers were important role models. Service managers should ensure not only that all their staff receive training in death, loss and communication but also that staff are enabled to reflect on their practice, through emotional support, supervision and team discussions. Future work should focus on the development and testing of strategies to enable intellectual disability staff to support their clients in the areas of dying, death and bereavement. © 2017 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Occupational and leisure-time physical activity and risk of disability pension: prospective data from the HUNT Study, Norway

PubMed Central

Fimland, Marius Steiro; Vie, Gunnhild; Holtermann, Andreas; Krokstad, Steinar; Nilsen, Tom Ivar Lund

2018-01-01

Objectives To prospectively investigate the association between occupational physical activity (OPA) and disability pension due to musculoskeletal cause, mental cause or any cause. We also examined the combined association of OPA and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) with disability pension. Methods A population-based cohort study in Norway on 32 362 persons aged 20–65 years with questionnaire data on OPA and LTPA that were followed up for incident disability pension through the National Insurance Database. We used Cox regression to estimate adjusted HRs with 95% CIs. Results During a follow-up of 9.3 years, 3837 (12%) received disability pension. Compared with people with mostly sedentary work, those who performed much walking, much walking and lifting, and heavy physical work had HRs of 1.26 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.38), 1.44 (95% CI 1.32 to 1.58) and 1.48 (95% CI 1.33 to 1.70), respectively. These associations were stronger for disability pension due to musculoskeletal disorders, whereas there was no clear association between OPA and risk of disability pension due to mental disorders. People with high OPA and low LTPA had a HR of 1.77 (95% CI 1.58 to 1.98) for overall disability pension and HR of 2.56 (95% CI 2.10 to 3.11) for disability pension due to musculoskeletal disorders, versus low OPA and high LTPA. Conclusions We observed a positive association between OPA and risk of disability pension due to all causes and musculoskeletal disorders, but not for mental disorders. Physical activity during leisure time reduced some, but not all of the unfavourable effect of physically demanding work on risk of disability pension. PMID:28698178