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Concepts of Work Ability in Rehabilitation

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Handbook of Disability, Work and Health

Part of the book series: Handbook Series in Occupational Health Sciences ((HDBSOHS,volume 1))

Abstract

How work ability is understood has an influence on what kinds of rehabilitation activities are implemented and which aspects of the activity are emphasized. This chapter presents eight concepts of work (dis)ability based on scientific literature. In the medical concept, work disability is related to the health status impaired by medical condition, and therefore rehabilitation is focused on restoring health with medical care. The balance concept emphasizes the role of rehabilitation in correcting the imbalance between the individual’s functional capacity and the demands at work. Psychosocial concepts explain work ability with psychological and psychosocial theories, which are applied in rehabilitation and supporting return to work. Biopsychosocial concepts consider dynamic interactions of body, mind, and environment, which all influence the results of rehabilitation. In the integrated “individual in the work community” concept, work ability is defined as the individual’s performance at work, and work ability is best restored by developing work. The employability concept of work ability includes all actions that help the person to get work, retain employment, and advance in the employment. Work ability can also be understood as a social construct resulting from negotiations on the different levels of society. Emerging integrative concepts emphasize the processes of individual and contextual factors that define the person’s capability to work. In rehabilitation, a comprehensive concept of work ability should be preferred and shared by all stakeholders to develop optimal rehabilitation processes aiming at the common goal.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Company, Helsinki, Finland

    Kari-Pekka Martimo

  2. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland

    Esa-Pekka Takala

Authors
  1. Kari-Pekka Martimo
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  2. Esa-Pekka Takala
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Correspondence to Kari-Pekka Martimo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Ute Bültmann

  2. Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Johannes Siegrist

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Martimo, KP., Takala, EP. (2020). Concepts of Work Ability in Rehabilitation. In: Bültmann, U., Siegrist, J. (eds) Handbook of Disability, Work and Health. Handbook Series in Occupational Health Sciences, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24334-0_30

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