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Self-Reported Work Ability Predicts Rehabilitation Measures, Disability Pensions, Other Welfare Benefits, and Work Participation: Longitudinal Findings from a Sample of German Employees

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation volume 28, pages 495–503 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose The study examined the performance of the Work Ability Index in predicting rehabilitation measures and disability pensions, sickness absence and unemployment benefits, and work participation among a sample of workers previously receiving sickness absence benefits. Methods Workers aged 40 to 54 years who received sickness absence benefits in 2012 completed the Work Ability Index in 2013. Outcomes were extracted from administrative data records. Results Data for 2149 participants were included (mean age: 47.8 years; 54.4% women). Mean follow-up was 19 months. Work Ability Index scores were poor (7–27 points) in 21% of the participants, and moderate (28–36 points) in 38.4%. In all, 224 rehabilitation measures and 35 disability pensions were approved. Fully adjusted analyses showed increased risk of rehabilitation measures in workers with poor (HR 4.55; 95% CI 3.14–6.60) and moderate scores (HR 2.08; 95% CI 1.43–3.01) compared to workers with good or excellent scores (37–49 points). The risk of a disability pension increased significantly for workers with poor scores (HR 7.78; 95% CI 2.59–23.35). In addition, poor scores were prospectively associated with a longer duration of sickness absence and employment benefits, and fewer employment days and less income from regular employment. Conclusions The Work Ability Index is a potential tool for following up workers who already have an increased risk of permanent work disability due to previous long-term sickness absence.

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Funding

This research was funded by the Federal German Pension Insurance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562, Lübeck, Germany

    Matthias Bethge, Katja Spanier & Elke Peters

  2. Institute of Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Science, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Elliot Michel & Michael Radoschewski

Authors
  1. Matthias Bethge
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  2. Katja Spanier
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  3. Elke Peters
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  4. Elliot Michel
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  5. Michael Radoschewski
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Correspondence to Matthias Bethge.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in the studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee, and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Bethge, M., Spanier, K., Peters, E. et al. Self-Reported Work Ability Predicts Rehabilitation Measures, Disability Pensions, Other Welfare Benefits, and Work Participation: Longitudinal Findings from a Sample of German Employees. J Occup Rehabil 28, 495–503 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-017-9733-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-017-9733-y

Keywords

  • Needs assessment
  • Rehabilitation
  • Pensions
  • Occupational health
  • Cohort study