Gender differences in the importance of participation associated with injured workers/persons perceived barriers to returning to work in the context of vocational rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate gender differences in the importance of participation in core domains of life, and the association to perceived hindrances for return to work (RTW) before (T1) and after (T2) vocational rehabilitation.


METHODS
Two hundred-seventy (T1) and 149 (T2) respondents completed the questionnaire. Gender differences in the importance of participation were calculated using t-tests. A principal component analysis was conducted on 21 questions of hindrances for RTW. A four-component structure was chosen. The family care barrier component was kept as an outcome variable in the logistic regression.


RESULTS
There were mean gender differences in importance of participation in family prior to chronic pain and at T1. Importance of work changed from prior to pain to rehabilitation. At T1 children, age and importance of participation in work and family contributed to the model for women. For men importance of participation in leisure contributed to the model. The variables which contributed to the model at T2 for women were age and importance of participation in work and for men; children and importance of participation in leisure.


CONCLUSIONS
Understanding gender differences in participation, and the association to hindrances for RTW, can enhance the rehabilitation counsellor's ability to work collaboratively with the clients. Implications for Rehabilitation Participation is a value and context driven process which influences the process of vocational rehabilitation. Understanding the driving forces for participation in important domains of life can illuminate gender differences in the process and outcome of vocational rehabilitation. Understanding gender differences in importance of participation, and the association to perceived hindrances to return to work, facilitates a shared understanding of rehabilitation goals among clients and rehabilitation professionals.
Department of Health and Social Work, Sør-Trøndelag University College , Trondheim , Norway and.
Lisbeth
L
Kvam
Arne Henning
AH
Eide
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009664:Norway; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D062707:Return to Work; D012737:Sex Factors; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Important domains of life; musculoskeletal pain; social roles