Development and evaluation of a strength-based method to promote employment of work-disability benefit recipients with multiple problems: a feasibility study.

Background: For people with disabilities, chances to find or keep work are negatively affected by multiple problems like lower education, poverty and poor health. Furthermore, although active labour market policies proved to be effective for unemployed in general, success rates are poor for persons who are unemployed due to multiple problems. The present study aims to describe the development of a method as well as professional training to teach its application, and to assess the feasibility of method and training.

Feasibility of Family Group Conference to promote return-to-work of persons receiving work disability benefit.

To investigate the feasibility of Family Group Conference for promoting return to work by clients receiving work disability benefits from the Social Security Institute in the Netherlands. We conducted a mixed-method pre- post-intervention feasibility study, using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and return to work plans drafted in Family Group Conferences. A convenient sample of Labour experts, Clients, and Facilitators was followed for a period of six months.

The assessment of work endurance in disability evaluations across European countries.

Purpose: Chronic disease is often associated with a reduced energy level, which limits the capacity to work full-time. This study aims to investigate whether the construct work endurance is part of disability assessment in European countries and what assessment procedures are used. We defined work endurance as the ability to sustain working activities for a number of hours per day and per week.

Exploring participatory behaviour of disability benefit claimants from an insurance physician's perspective.

Purpose: In the Dutch social security system, insurance physicians (IPs) assess participatory behaviour as part of the overall disability claim assessment. This study aims to explore the views and opinions of IPs regarding participatory behaviour as well as factors related to inadequate participatory behaviour, and to incorporate these factors in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) biopsychosocial framework.

Method: This qualitative study collected data by means of open-ended questions in 10 meetings of local peer review groups (PRGs) which included a total of 78 IPs of the Dutch Social Security Institute.

Effects of a training in the Disability Assessment Structured Interview on the interviews of Dutch insurance physicians.

Purpose: The Disability Assessment Structured Interview (DASI) is a semi-structured interview for assessing functional limitations of claimants in a work disability evaluation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a 3-day DASI training course on the quality of assessment interviews of insurance physicians (IPs).

Methods: In a pretest-posttest study, 55 IPs employed at the Dutch National Institute for Employee Benefits Schemes completed a 3-day DASI training.

Under-recognition and under-treatment of DSM-IV classified mood and anxiety disorders among disability claimants.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine under-recognition, under-treatment and severity of under-treated DSM-IV mood and anxiety disorders among disability claimants.

Methods: In a representative sample of Dutch disability claimants (n = 346), registry codes certified according to the International Classification of Diseases 10th edition (ICD-10) by insurance physicians, were compared with classifications according to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) detected by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Levels of ICD-10/DSM-IV agreement were assessed for mood and anxiety disorders in the total sample, and prevalence of recent DSM-IV mood and anxiety disorders in a pure ICD-10 somatic subgroup.

The performance of the K10, K6 and GHQ-12 to screen for present state DSM-IV disorders among disability claimants.

Background: Screening for mental disorders among disability claimants is important, since mental disorders seem to be seriously under-recognized in this population. However, performance of potentially suitable scales is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of three scales, the 10- and 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10, K6) and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), to predict present state mental disorders, classified according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4thEdition (DSM-IV) among disability claimants.