[Relevance of personal contextual factors of the ICF for use in practical social medicine and rehabilitation]

Temporary disability pension recipients: Contextual stress factors and their effect on return-to-work-intention

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In the last decades, Germany has experienced a vast increase in the number of individuals applying for or receiving disability benefit. Only a small proportion of them intends to return to work. The present study aims to identify and describe the percentage of temporary disability pensioners, who have the intention to return to working life.

METHODS

The final sample consisted of 496 insured individuals who were receiving temporary disability pension from the Regional German Pension Insurance (DRV) at that time. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The following self-report instruments were administered: a. Evaluation of Contextual Factors; b. German Symptom Validation Test (BEVA); c. German Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9); d. Readiness for Return-to-Work German Scale (RRTW).

RESULTS

The results revealed that approximately 6% of participants were at the stage of "preparation", 31.9% at the stage of "contemplation", and more than half of the participants were at the stage of "pre-contemplation" according to the RRTW. Comparing the groups of "pre-contemplation" (Group 1) and "contemplation+preparation" (Group 2+3), no statistically significant differences were found, except for age.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, further research is required to identify possible factors which could predict the stage of RRTW. New interventions are needed that can raise the motivation for and success in the return to work of disability pensioners.

[The federal participation law : New requirements for needs assessment with special emphasis on medical rehabilitation services]

The federal participation law (Bundesteilhabegesetz - BTHG) is one of the largest efforts in the last 15 years to reform the legal participation rights of people with disabilities. In particular, a number of enhancements are planned in the overall benefits law in Part 1 of Book IX in the Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch - SGB), which applies to all rehabilitation carriers including general provisions and standards for needs assessment. This paper deals with the implications of these provisions and interacting standards, based on the draft bill of April 2016.The discussion takes place against the background of the regulatory objectives formulated in the ministerial draft itself, jurisprudential expertise on the effects of the current legal norms of the SGB IX as well as relevant professional political developments and statements by various stakeholders.The analysis shows a clear political commitment to increase the requirements for needs assessment in the overall law of the SGB IX and to express these more effectively. The draft bill seeks not only to modify procedures subsequent to the application for rehabilitation benefits, but also to precisely set out provisions on instruments for needs assessment in a new § 13. Common principles for these instruments of needs assessment should increase the cooperation, coordination and convergence among rehabilitation carriers.Nevertheless, with regard to the proposed regulatory texts, there is doubt that the objectives set by the draft bill itself will be achieved. For example, the required common principles for needs assessment are to be agreed upon based on the existing special legislation for the different rehabilitation carriers, without the SGB IX setting its own binding standards or framework principles. In addition, it lacks clear legal guidelines for the professional practice to make use of the bio-psycho-social model of the WHO and the ICF in the process of needs assessment. As a consequence the ICF cannot serve as a legally standardized reference point.