Level of and Changes in Perceived Work Ability Among Partial Disability Pensioners and the Risk of Full Disability Pension-A Register-Linked Cohort Study.
Mari-Anne Wallius, Tea Lallukka, Taina Leinonen and 2 others
PMID 38153619WHAT IT FOUND
Among employees on partial disability pension, those rating their work ability as poor were nearly twice as likely to move to full disability pension within ten years.
However, whether their work ability improved or worsened over four years did not predict this risk.
Key findings
01Employees with poor perceived work ability (score 0-5) had a higher risk of transitioning to full disability pension compared to those with at least moderate ability (score 6-10).
02A one-point increase in perceived work ability score was associated with a 27% lower risk of full disability pension.
03Changes in perceived work ability over four years were not significantly associated with the risk of transitioning to full disability pension.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size for the analysis of work ability changes was small (n=80) with only 17 events, which may have resulted in low statistical power (Type II error) and an inability to detect an association. The study population was predominantly women (86%) and limited to public sector employees in Finland, so findings may not generalize to private sector workers, men, or countries with different pension systems. There was a four-year gap between the first and second measurements of work ability, which may have introduced selection bias if those with declining ability had already transitioned to full pension or left the workforce. Work ability was assessed using a single self-reported item rather than a comprehensive evaluation of physical and mental demands.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund and The Social Insurance Institution of Finland. No other conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that monitoring changes in work ability is useless. The null finding for work ability change is likely due to the small sample size and low number of events in that specific analysis, rather than proof that trajectory does not matter.