OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyze how many work-related interventions were realized during medical rehabilitation on behalf of the German Federal Pension Insurance, whether persons with severe restrictions of work ability (SRWA) received more work-related treatments and if the requirements of the Implementation Guideline for work-related rehabilitation were met. METHODS: A representative sample of working age persons insured in the German Federal Pension Insurance stratified by main diagnosis groups fulfilled a postal questionnaire before admission to their rehabilitation centre. Work-related interventions were measured by the Classification of Therapeutic Services (KTL), a German classification of treatments during medical rehabilitation. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 2232 persons with full data. Persons with SRWA received work-related interventions by an average of 6.1 h. The standardized mean differences for the treatment dose of persons with and without SRWA were between 0.12 and 0.34 for different work-related modules. In none of the modules the required minimum level was met. There were no considerable differences in persons with and without SRWA receiving the required minimum level. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis clearly stated the insufficient frequency and intensity of work-related treatments in medical rehabilitation. Especially the missing link between SRWA and work-related treatments indicates the strong need to further disseminate recently published guideline recommendations on the provision of work-related treatments.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyze how many work-related interventions were realized during medical rehabilitation on behalf of the German Federal Pension Insurance, whether persons with severe restrictions of work ability (SRWA) received more work-related treatments and if the requirements of the Implementation Guideline for work-related rehabilitation were met. METHODS: A representative sample of working age persons insured in the German Federal Pension Insurance stratified by main diagnosis groups fulfilled a postal questionnaire before admission to their rehabilitation centre. Work-related interventions were measured by the Classification of Therapeutic Services (KTL), a German classification of treatments during medical rehabilitation. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 2232 persons with full data. Persons with SRWA received work-related interventions by an average of 6.1 h. The standardized mean differences for the treatment dose of persons with and without SRWA were between 0.12 and 0.34 for different work-related modules. In none of the modules the required minimum level was met. There were no considerable differences in persons with and without SRWA receiving the required minimum level. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis clearly stated the insufficient frequency and intensity of work-related treatments in medical rehabilitation. Especially the missing link between SRWA and work-related treatments indicates the strong need to further disseminate recently published guideline recommendations on the provision of work-related treatments.