Analysis of the Return to Work Program for Disabled Workers during the Pandemic COVID-19 Using the Quality of Life and Work Ability Index: Cross-Sectional Study

Arie Arizandi Kurnianto, Gergely Fehér (), Kevin Efrain Tololiu, Edza Aria Wikurendra, Zsolt Nemeskéri and István Ágoston
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Arie Arizandi Kurnianto: Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, 7621 Pécs, Hungary
Gergely Fehér: Center for Occupational Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
Kevin Efrain Tololiu: Doctoral School of Psychology, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary
Edza Aria Wikurendra: Faculty of Economic Science, School of Management and Organizational Science, The Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Science, 7400 Kaposvar, Hungary
Zsolt Nemeskéri: Department of Cultural Theory and Applied Communication Sciences, Faculty of Cultural Studies, Teacher Training and Rural Development, University of Pécs, 7633 Pécs, Hungary
István Ágoston: Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, 7621 Pécs, Hungary

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: Background: Occupational accidents are rising, but there is little evidence on the outcomes of patients who received case management during Return to work (RTW) programs. This study examined the case management-based on RTW program features that improve the work ability index (WAI) and quality of life (QoL). Methods: This cross-sectional research involved 230 disabled workers due to an occupational injury in Indonesia, 154 participated in RTW, and 75 did not participate in RTW (non-RTW) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sociodemographic and occupational factors were used to examine the RTW results. We used the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health’s WAI questionnaires to measure the work ability index and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) for quality of life. Results: The study found a statistically significant difference in working duration and preferred treatment for RTW between the groups ( p -value = 0.039). Furthermore, the quality of life in the domain of environmental health and work ability index score also demonstrated a significant difference between the groups ( p -value = 0.023 and 0.000, respectively). Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, this study found that the RTW program improved the quality of life and work abilities of disabled workers.

Keywords: case management; return to work; disabled workers; work ability index; quality of life (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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