title: Does perceived work ability improve after a multidisciplinary preventive program in a population with no severe medical problems? The Finnish Public Sector Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the short- and long-term effects of a multidisciplinary preventive program on         perceived work ability in a population with no severe medical problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Altogether 859 public sector employees         who participated in the program in 1997-2005 and their 2426 propensity-score-matched controls were studied         prospectively. Propensity scores for probability of being granted participation in the program were calculated based on         the data on health, health-risk behaviors, and work-related characteristics that were gathered from repeat responses to         a survey, national health registers, and employers' records. Mean scores of perceived work ability (PWA) and         prevalence ratios (PR) of suboptimal PWA were calculated after a short-term (mean 1.7 years, up to 4.6 years) and a         long-term (mean 5.8 years, up to 9.2 years) follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No beneficial effects were observed with respect to         work ability. In comparison to controls, the participants' risk of suboptimal PWA was actually slightly higher         after both the short-term [PR 1.23, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.10-1.39] and long-term (PR 1.18, 95% CI         1.06-1.31) follow-ups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the vocationally oriented multidisciplinary         preventive program was ineffective in improving work ability among participants with no severe medical         problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. mikhail.saltychev@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saltychev
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Laimi
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oksanen
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pentti
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vahtera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010465:Perception; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D057216:Propensity Score; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017150:Public Sector; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D018582:Sick Leave