Improving the job-retention strategies in multiple sclerosis workers: the role of occupational physicians

Several studies evaluated whether a person with multiple sclerosis is employed or not and investigated the main symptoms that hinder the job performance. However, despite occupational physicians are fundamental in managing disabled subjects, there is a serious lack of data regarding their role in im...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Industrial Health 2019, Vol.57(1), pp.52-69
Main Authors: PERSECHINO, Benedetta, FONTANA, Luca, BURESTI, Giuliana, FORTUNA, Grazia, VALENTI, Antonio, IAVICOLI, Sergio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Care and treatment
Demographics
Demography
Disability
Disabled persons
Employee retention
Employment
Ergonomics
Evaluation
Fitness
Health aspects
Health surveillance
Job-retention strategies
Management tools
Medical personnel
Methods
Multiple sclerosis
Occupational accidents
Occupational health
Occupational health practice
Occupational physicians
Original
Physicians
Retention
Risk analysis
Risk factors
Signs and symptoms
Training
Typology
Work difficulties
Workers
Workplace accommodation
Workstations
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Summary:Several studies evaluated whether a person with multiple sclerosis is employed or not and investigated the main symptoms that hinder the job performance. However, despite occupational physicians are fundamental in managing disabled subjects, there is a serious lack of data regarding their role in improving employability of these workers. In this regard, we assessed occupational physicians’ professional activity and training/updating needs in order to identify and develop management tools, operative procedures and training programs helpful to support and implement adequate job-retention strategies. Four hundred three Italian occupational physicians compiled a self-administered questionnaire to evaluate individual demographics, health surveillance system, fitness for work and training needs. Our findings confirmed the suitability to adopt environmental adjustments at workplace (particularly referring to the ergonomics of workstation, the typology of occupational risk factors and the working time) to accommodate individual’s needs in order to improve working ability among multiple sclerosis workers. Moreover, training events discussing operational guidelines and standardized instruments and/or methodologies to adequately manage the disable workers should be fostered. Therefore, in this regard, occupational physicians could play a key role but they need more high-quality training especially concerning the different tools that are currently available to assess the work issues in multiple sclerosis patients.
ISSN:0019-8366
1880-8026
DOI:10.2486/indhealth.2017-0214