title: Work-ability assessment in young adults with disabilities applying for disability benefits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of diagnosis, co-morbidity, secondary conditions (e.g. learning problems, subclinical mental and somatic complaints, addictions, and socio-emotional and behavioral problems) and problems in social context on work ability as assessed by Insurance Physicians (IPs) in young adults applying for a disability benefit.
  
  
  METHODS
  IPs of the Social Security Institute assessed young adults with disabilities (aged 15-27) applying for a disability benefit (n = 1755). Data were analyzed with multilevel ordinal regression techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary diagnosis, co-morbidity and subclinical mental complaints were associated with IP-assessed work ability. Persons with mental health conditions as primary diagnosis were less likely to reach a higher work ability than persons with somatic diseases. Young adults with two or more co-morbid conditions and those with psychiatric or developmental co-morbidity were less likely to reach a higher work ability level than persons without co-morbidity. Young adults with subclinical mental complaints were half as likely to reach a higher IP-assessed work ability than young adults without this condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary diagnosis, type and number of co-morbid conditions and subclinical mental complaints are associated with IP-assessed work ability. Work-ability assessments among adolescents with disabilities applying for disability benefits still focus mainly on medical factors.
authors: Department of Health Sciences, Community & Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. a.holwerda01@umcg.nl
authors: Anja
authors: A
authors: Holwerda
authors: Johan W
authors: JW
authors: Groothoff
authors: Michiel R
authors: MR
authors: de Boer
authors: Jac J L
authors: JJ
authors: van der Klink
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Brouwer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D012943:Social Security; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult