Affiliations: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Public Health
Sciences, Division of Rehabilitation Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden | Mid Sweden University, Department of Health Science,
Sweden | Nord-Trondelag University Collage, Faculty of Health
Science, Norway
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Åsa Ahlgren, Division of
Rehabilitation Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyds University Hospital,
Bldg 39, 3rd floor, SE-182 88 Stockholm, Sweden. Cell Phone int: +46 73
0236902; E-mail: asa.ahlgren@miun.se
Abstract: A short-term evaluation of vocational rehabilitation (VR) may give
conclusions not automatically applicable over a longer term. The present study
follows up alterations in work resumption or in social insurance benefits from
the time of completed VR and during the following two years. Aim: The
primary objective was to evaluate work resumption among previous sick-leavers
granted vocational rehabilitation. The aim of the follow-up was to assess the
stability of the outcome of VR over time and to analyse factors of importance
for clients that remained at work. Method: A register investigation was
based on 815 cases where the clients had taken part in vocational
rehabilitation and were served by one of six local social insurance offices of
a Swedish county. Results: Of the clients studied, 52.4% had attained
full working capacity The proportion had decreased to 37.4% two years later.
One factor that differed between those who resumed work and those who returned
to sick leave was the duration of the previous sick-leave period. Those who
returned to work had had shorter sick leave, had jobs to return to and had
received job training as a vocational rehabilitation measure. Conclusions: The clients with the best chances of being in work two years after completed
vocational rehabilitation were those with short sickness absence, who had been
selected for job training as a vocational rehabilitation, were aged 16–29
years and were employed in industry.
Keywords: Disability pension, vocational rehabilitation, work resumption, social insurance, chronic pain, psychiatric disorders, sickness absence, outcome
