Residual Work Capacity and (In)Ability to Work Fulltime Among a Year-Cohort of Disability Benefit Applicants Diagnosed with Mental and Behavioural Disorders.

The study uses register data collected for insurance purposes, not research, so information on disease severity, treatment, and personal factors is missing. The cross-sectional design prevents conclusions about causality; it describes associations at the time of assessment. 1,006 applicants were excluded from the 'inability to work fulltime' analysis due to missing educational data, and this excluded group had a higher prevalence of normal work ability, which may bias results. The population consists only of those who applied for disability benefits after two years of sick leave, so it does not represent all employees with mental health disorders. The assessment outcomes reflect insurance physicians' judgments based on guidelines, not independent clinical evaluations of functional capacity.

The study was supported by non-U.S. government funding. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Do not interpret the 'residual work capacity' or 'ability to work fulltime' findings as objective measures of a patient's actual functional ability. These are legal and insurance assessments based on specific guidelines and physician judgment, which may differ from clinical rehabilitation goals. Additionally, the association between certain diagnoses (like adjustment disorders) and full-time work ability does not mean these patients do not need support; it means their capacity is often preserved despite the disorder.