title: The relevance of work-related learning for vulnerable groups. Dutch case study of a Health Impact Assessment with equity focus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Learning is essential for sustainable employability. However, various factors make work-related learning more difficult for certain groups of workers, who are consequently at a disadvantage in the labour market. In the long term, that in turn can have adverse health implications and can make those groups vulnerable. With a view to encouraging workers to continue learning, the Netherlands has a policy on work-related learning, which forms part of the 'Vitality Package'.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A Health Impact Assessment with equity focus (HIAef) was undertaken to determine whether the policy on work-related learning affected certain groups of workers and their health in different ways, and whether the differences were avoidable.
  
  
  METHODS
  The HIAef method involved the standard phases: screening, scoping, appraisal and recommendations. Equity was the core principle in this method. Data were collected by means of both literature searches (e.g., Scopus, Medline) and interviews with experts and stakeholders (e.g., expertise regarding work, training and/or health).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HIAef identified the following groups as potentially vulnerable in the field of work-related learning: the chronically sick, older people, less educated people, flexi-workers/the self-employed and lay carers (e.g., thresholds to learning). Published literature indicates that work-related learning may have a positive influence on health through (work-related) factors such as pay, employability, longer employment rate and training-participation. According to experts and stakeholders, work-related learning policy could be adapted to take more account of vulnerable groups through alignment with their particular needs, such as early support, informal learning and e-learning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With a view to reducing avoidable inequalities in work-related learning, it is recommended that early, low-threshold, accessible opportunities are made available to identified vulnerable groups. Making such opportunities available may have a positive effect on (continued) participation in the labour market and thus on the health of the relevant groups.
authors: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Health and Society, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: ilse.storm@rivm.nl.
authors: Ilse
authors: I
authors: Storm
authors: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: ellen.uiters@rivm.nl.
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Uiters
authors: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Health and Society, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: mirjam.busch@rivm.nl.
authors: Mirjam C M
authors: MC
authors: Busch
authors: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands; School of Sports and Nutrition, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Dokter Meurerlaan 8, 1067 SM Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: lea.den.broeder@rivm.nl.
authors: Lea
authors: L
authors: den Broeder
authors: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, PO Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands; VU University Amsterdam, Department of Health Sciences and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: jantine.schuit@rivm.nl.
authors: Albertine J
authors: AJ
authors: Schuit
mesh_terms: D004651:Employment; D062489:Health Impact Assessment; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
keywords: Equity focus; Health Impact Assessment; Health equity; Vulnerable groups