Top

Published in:

01-03-2007 | Original Paper

Disability Management Practices in Ontario Health Care Workplaces

Authors: Renee M. Williams, Muriel G. Westmorland, Harry S. Shannon, Benjamin C. Amick III

Published in: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation | Issue 1/2007

Abstract

Background: Workplace disability management programs are important in managing injury and disability. Methods: A stratified random sample of 188 employers in health care workplaces (71 hospitals, 48 nursing homes, 42 private clinics, and 27 community clinics) completed a mailed Organizational Policies and Practices (OPP) questionnaire. The OPP asked questions about eight workplace disability management practices. This article compares disability management practices across the four types of health care workplaces. Results: A one-way analysis of variance for each of the eight practices demonstrated significant differences across facility types for all practices, except ergonomic practices. For unionized versus non-unionized workplaces, there were significant differences in all practices, except ergonomic practices. For workplaces with formal policies versus those without policies, there were significant differences in all practices, except people-oriented culture and safety diligence. Conclusion: Variations in disability management practices in health care workplaces need to be addressed to provide more effective prevention and treatment of work-related injuries and disability.

Frank JW, Brooker AS, DeMaio SE, Kerr MS, Maetzel A, Shannon HS, Sullivan TJ, Norman RW, Wells RP. Disability resulting from occupational low back pain. Part II: What do we know about secondary prevention? A review of the scientific evidence on prevention after disability begins. Spine 1996;21:18–29.

Cullen KL, Williams RM, Shannon HS, Westmorland MG, Amick BC. Workplace organizational policies and practices in Ontario Educational Facilities. J Occup Rehabil 2005;15(3):417–33.PubMedCrossRef

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. 2004 Annual Report. Available at: http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/ wsibsite.nsf/Public/AnnualReports Accessed December 15, 2005.

Canadian Institute of Health Information. Available at: http://www.cihi.ca Accessed November 6, 2001.

Sibbald B. Could reduced absenteeism help solve health-worker shortage? Can Med Assoc J 2002;166(3):365.

Lipscomb J, Trinkoff A, Brady B, Geiger-Brown J. Health care system changes and reported musculoskeletal disorders among registered nurses. Am J Pub Health 2004;94(8):1431–6.PubMed

Collins JW, Wolf L, Bell J, Evanoff B. An evaluation of a “best practices” musculoskeletal injury prevention program in nursing homes. Injury Prev 2005;10:206–11.CrossRef

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. Statistical Supplement to the 2004 Annual Report. Available at: http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsibsite.nsf/Public/AnnualReports Accessed December 15, 2005.

Retsas A, Pinikahana J. Manual handling activities and injuries among nurses: an Australian hospital study. J Adv Nurs 2000;31(4):875–83.PubMedCrossRef

10.

Trinkoff AM, Brady B, Nielsen K. Workplace prevention and musculoskeletal Injuries in nurses. J Nurs Admin 2003;33(3):153–8.CrossRef

11.

Archer-Gift C. Violence toward the caregiver. A growing crisis for professional nursing. Mich Nurse 2003;76(1):11–2.

12.

Clarke SP, Sloane DM, Aiken LH. Effects of hospital staffing and organizational climate on needle stick injuries to nurses. Am J Pub Health 2002;92(7):1115–9.PubMedCrossRef

13.

Koehoorn M, Sullivan T. The health of nursing personnel: a summary of research findings to inform the development of a national survey in Canada. Working Paper 172. Toronto, ON. Institute for Work & Health, 2001.

14.

Geiger-Brown J, Trinkoff AM, Nielson K, Lirtmunlikaporn S, Brady B, Vasquez EI. Nurses’ perception of their work environment, health and well-being: a qualitative perspective. AAOHN J 2004;52(1):16–22.PubMed

15.

Yassi A, Gilbert M, Cvitkovich. Trends in injuries, illnesses and policies in Canadian health care workplaces. Can J Pub Health 2005;96(5):333–8.

16.

Shrey DE. Disability management in industry; the new paradigm in injured worker rehabilitation. Disabil Rehabil 1996;18(8):408–14.PubMedCrossRef

17.

Brooker AS, Clarke J, Sinclair S, Penick V, Hogg-Johnston S. Effective disability management and return-to-work practices. In: Sullivan T, editors. Injury and the new world of work. Vancouver, BC: UBC Press; 2000, pp. 246–61.

18.

Norman R, Wells R. Ergonomic interventions for educating musculoskeletal disorder. In: Sullivan T, editors. Injury and the new world of work. Vancouver, BC: UBC Press; 2000, pp. 115–39.

19.

National Institute of Disability Management and Research. Code of practice for disability management: Describing effective benchmarks for the creation of workplace disability management programs. Port Alberni, BC: National Institute of Disability Management and Research; 2000.

20.

Frank J, Sinclair S, Bombardier C, Beaton D, Cole D. Preventing disability from work- related low-back pain. New evidence gives new hope - if we can get all the players onside. Can Med Assoc J 1998;158:1625–31.

21.

Shannon HS, Mayr J, Haines T. Overview of the relationship between organizational and workplace factors and injury rates. Saf Sci 1997;26:201–17.CrossRef

22.

Kirsh B. Organizational culture, climate and person-environment fit: relationships with employment outcomes for mental health consumers. Work 2000;14:109–22.PubMed

23.

Shannon HS, Robson LS, Sale JEM. Creating safer and healthier workplaces: role of organizational factors and job characteristics. Am J Ind Med 2001;40:319–34.PubMedCrossRef

24.

Williams RM, Westmorland MG. Perspectives on workplace disability management: a review of the literature. Work 2002;19:87–93.PubMed

25.

Karasek R, Theorell T. Healthy work. Stress, productivity and the reconstruction of working life. New York, Basic Books; 1990.

26.

Williams RM, Sundelin G, Schmuck ML. Reliability of the Demand-Control Questionnaire for sewing machine operators. Work 2001;16:71–5.PubMed

27.

Franche RL, Cullen K, Clarke J, Irvin E, Sinclair S, Frank J, The Institute for Work & Health (IWH) Workplace-Based RTW Intervention Literature Review Research Team. Workplace-based return-to-work interventions: a systematic review of the quantitative literature. J Occup Rehabil 2005;15(4):607–30.PubMedCrossRef

28.

Scully S, Habeck R, Leahy M. Knowledge and skill areas associated with disability management practice for rehabilitation counsellors. Rehabil Counsel Bull 1999;43(1):20–9.

29.

Watson Wyatt Worldwide. Staying @ Work 2000/2001. The dollars and senses of effective disability management. Toronto, ON: Watson, Wyatt Worldwide; 2000.

30.

Habeck RV, Leahy MJ, Hunt HA, Chan R, Welch EM. Employee factors related to workers’ compensation claims and disability management. Rehabil Counsel Bull 1991;34:210–26.

31.

Habeck RV, Hunt HA, Van Tol B. Workplace factors associated with preventing and managing work disability. Rehabil Counsel Bull 1998;42:98–143.

32.

Shrey DE. Worksite disability management model for effective return to work planning. Occup Med State Art Rev 2000;15:789–801.

33.

Krause N, Dasinger LK, Neuhauser F. Modified work and return to work: a review of the literature. J Occup Rehabil 1998;8(2):113–39.CrossRef

34.

Krause N, Frank JW, Dasinger LK, Sullivan TJ, Sinclair SJ. Determinants of duration of disability and return-to-work after work-related injury and illness: challenges for future research. Am J Ind Med 2001;40:464–84.PubMedCrossRef

35.

Daly MC, Bound J. Worker adaptation and employer accommodation following the onset of health impairment. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 1996;51(2):S53–60.PubMed

36.

Amick BC, Habeck RV, Williams RM, Ossman J, Vridine D, Katz JN. Working paper. The organizational policies and practices questionnaire. Toronto: Institute for Work & Health; 2005.

37.

Williams RM, Westmorland MG, Shannon HS, Rasheed F, Amick BC. Disability management practices in education, hotel/motel and health care workplaces. Am J Ind Med 2005;47:217–26.PubMedCrossRef

38.

Streiner DL, Norman GR. Health measurement scales. A practical guide to their development and use. New York: Oxford University Press; 1995.

39.

DeVellis RF. Scale development theory and applications. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications; 1991.

40.

Norman GR, Streiner DL. Biostatistics. The bare essentials. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 1994.

41.

Streiner DL. A checklist for evaluating the usefulness of rating scales. Can J Psychiatry 1993;39:140–8.

42.

Norman GR, Streiner DL. PDQ statistics. Burlington, ON: BC Decker Inc; 1988.

43.

Kleinbaum DG, Kupper LL, Muller KE. Applied regression analysis and other multivariable methods. Boston, MA: PWS Kent Publishing Company; 1988.

44.

O’Brien-Pallas L, Shamian J, Thomson D, Alksnis C, Koehoorn M, Kerr M, Bruce M. Work-related disability in Canadian nurses. J Nurs Scholars 2004;36(4):352–7.CrossRef

45.

Cunningham I, James P. Absence and return to work: towards a research agenda. Pers Rev 2000;29(1):33–47.CrossRef

46.

Manitoba Federation of Labour. Brief to Manitoba Workers’ Compensation Board – Issue return to work. Winnipeg, MN: Manitoba Federation of Labour; 2004.

47.

Canadian Labour Congress. More we get together. Disability rights and collective bargaining manual. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Labour Congress; 2001.

48.

Hunt A, Habeck RV, Van Tol B, Scully SM. Disability prevention among Michigan employers, 1988–1993. W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research; 1993.

49.

Friesen MN, Yassi A, Cooper J. Return to work: the importance of human interactions and organizational structures. Work 2001;17(1):11–22.PubMed

50.

Silversides A. Disability management efforts can reduce number of injuries, improve bottom line. Can Med Assoc J 1998;159:268–9.

51.

Mukherjee S, Overman L, Leviton L, Hilyer B. Evaluation of worker safety and health training. Am J Ind Med 2000;38: 155–63.PubMedCrossRef

52.

Okun A, Lentz TJ, Schulte P, Stayner L. Identifying high-risk small business industries for occupational safety and health interventions. Am J Ind Med 2001;39(3):301–11.PubMedCrossRef

53.

Eakin JM, MacEachen E. Health and the social relations of work. A study of the health- related experiences of employees in small workplaces. Soc Health Illn 1998;20:896–914.CrossRef

54.

Ontario Ministry of Labour. A Guide for the Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSCs) and Representatives in the Workplace. Available at: http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/jhsc/index.html. Accessed May 1, 2004.

55.

Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997. Available at: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Regs/ English/980175_e.htm. Accessed June 1, 2004.

56.

Ontario Human Rights Commission. The Ontario Human Rights Code. Available at: http://www. ohrc.on.ca/english/code/index.shtml Accessed April 1, 2004.

57.

Canadian Human Rights Act, 1985. Available at: http://www.lois.justice.gc.ca/en/h-6/text.html. Accessed May 1, 2004.

58.

Amick BC, Habeck RV, Ossman J, Fossel AH, Keller R, Katz JN. Predictors of successful work role functioning after carpal tunnel release surgery. J Occup Environ Med 2004;46(5):490–500.PubMedCrossRef

59.

Katz JN, Amick BC, Keller R, Fossel AH, Soucie V, Losina E. Determinants of work absence following surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. Am J Ind Med 2005;47:120–30.PubMedCrossRef

60.

Ossman J, Amick BC, Habeck RV, Hunt A, Ramamurthy G, Soucie V, Katz JN. Management and employee agreement on reports of organizational policies and practices important in return to work following carpal tunnel surgery. J Occup Rehabil 2005;15(1):17–26.CrossRef

61.

Salanti P, Dillman DA. How to conduct your own survey. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc; 1994.

Title: Disability Management Practices in Ontario Health Care Workplaces
Authors: Renee M. Williams
Muriel G. Westmorland
Harry S. Shannon
Benjamin C. Amick III
Publication date: 01-03-2007
Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers
Published in: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation / Issue 1/2007
Print ISSN: 1053-0487
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3688
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-006-9045-0

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Disability Management Practices in Ontario Health Care Workplaces

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2007

Ballard, J (Ed). Occupational Health [at Work]. June/July 2006; Vol. 03/1.

The Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Neck Pain and Upper Limb Pain among Secondary School Teachers in Hong Kong

Owner Attitudes and Self Reported Behavior Towards Modified Work After Occupational Injury Absence in Small Enterprises: A Qualitative Study

Are deficiencies in manual tracking associated with upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders?

Workplace Interventions for Workers with Musculoskeletal Disabilities: A Descriptive Review of Content

C. Liebenson (Ed), Rehabilitation of the Spine. A Practitioner’s Manual