Introduction: Engaging Employers to Prevent Disability

Excerpt

Keeping us healthy and fit for work until retirement is a growing problem in many countries. This challenge is noted globally where years of declining health and increasing rates of chronic health conditions with and without co-morbidities has resulted in growing disability rates and a high burden on social disability and insurance systems. Research tells us that this problem cannot be solved without the engagement and support of employers, both large and small. This special issue is the product of an invited conference focused on improving research of employer policies and practices to prevent disability. It was led by an exceptional organizing committee (Drs. Anema, Linton, Main, Nicholas, Pransky, and Shaw) whose goal was to re-energize disability and rehabilitation research focusing on the critical role of employers. They superbly orchestrated a meeting in October 2015 at the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety in Hopkinton, Massachusetts to bring together some of the world’s leaders in this area of research. Each of the organizers and participants was very involved in producing a collection of exceptionally high quality collaborative papers, which are featured in this special issue of the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. …