Journal of rehabilitation medicine | 2021
Fit for work and life: an innovative concept to improve health and work ability of employees, integrating prevention, therapy and rehabilitation.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES\nTo set up a comprehensive health programme for employees, with needs-based allocation to preventive and rehabilitative measures; and to evaluate the effects of the programme on work ability and sick leave.\n\n\nDESIGN\nProspective single-group observational study.\n\n\nMETHODS\nEmployees of a university hospital were invited to participate in needs-based interventions of preventive or rehabilitative character. Allocation followed screening questionnaires, anamnesis and clinical examination.The main outcome parameters were work ability and sick leave duration.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe current phase of the project included 1,547 participants, who applied voluntarily to enter the programme. The mean age of participants was 44.3 years (standard deviation (SD) 10.3 years), and 72.0% were female. Needs-based allocation to a prevention or a rehabilitation group was effective, and enabled formation of 2 groups with different demands. Overall, more than half of the employees participating in the programme reported sick leave within the last 3 months. Participants in the preventive measures group reported significantly lower duration of sick leave than those in the rehabilitation group. Employees in the rehabilitation group had significantly lower work ability (Work Ability Index (WAI) 30.4 vs 36.6), but higher effects at 6-month follow-up (WAI 33.4 (standardized effect size (SES) 0.51) vs 37.9 (SES 0.17)). In the prevention group sick leave reduced from 1.9 to 1.3 weeks during the previous 3-month period, whereas in the rehabilitation group it reduced from 2.7 to 1.5 weeks.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nImplementation of the comprehensive health programme was successful, using the multimodal infrastructure of a university hospital. Allocation to suitable interventions in occupational health programmes following screening, anamnesis and clinical examination is an appropriate way to meet participants needs. The programme resulted in improved work ability and less sick leave.