ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on how background factors and interventions affect the odds of work resumption of a group of people from different countries who have been away from the workplace with back pain 90 days or more. It also focuses on the connection between work resumption, work ability, and four measures of health for which data were collected in the Work Incapacity and Reintegration (WIR) study: ADL, pain intensity, vitality and mental health. In Denmark and Sweden, gender is important for perceived vitality, with the odds for women being lower than those for men. The mental health indicator improves in Germany, Israel and the Netherlands, but not in Denmark and Sweden. In OECD countries the major path of exit of older workers is through long-term sickness and disability. For persons away from work for health reasons, medical interventions, vocational interventions and interventions affecting the work environment can be used to facilitate work resumption.
