Affiliations: HELIX VINN Excellence Centre, Department of
Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping,
Sweden | Centre for Policy Studies in Higher Education and
Training, Department of Educational Studies, Faculty of Education, University
of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada | National Centre for Work and Rehabilitation,
Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University,
Linköping, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Staffan Nilsson, HELIX VINN
Excellence Centre, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning,
Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden. Tel.: +46 13 28 44
36; E-mail: Staffan.Nilsson@liu.se
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse how people who
return to the labour market after long-term sickness absenteeism and subsequent
job loss differ in employability, work ability, health, educational level, age,
and gender, compared to those who do not. PARTICIPANTS: The cohort consisted of 191 individuals, 20 men and
171 women, whose employment was terminated because they had not been able to
return to their regular work after taking a long-term sick leave and
rehabilitation measures. METHODS: This study is based on a postal questionnaire sent out to a
cohort of previous employees in a Swedish municipality in 2008. RESULTS: At the time of the survey, 39% of the respondents had
returned to the labour market and the remaining 61% had not. Return to the
labour market after a long-term sick leave was positively associated with male
gender, young age, and work ability, i.e. the ability to work with respect to
health and work-related demands. Employability, educational level, and health
were not significantly associated with a return to the labour market. CONCLUSIONS: In the discourse on employability, work ability is
often neglected even though it is a central aspect of an individual's ability
to obtain new employment.
Keywords: Unemployment, health, long-term sick leave, Sweden
