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Abstract
In 2011, the American Medical Association published the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Work Ability and Return to Work (AMA's Return to Work), Second Edition, which began with a review of consensus statements attesting that, in general, work is good for a person's health and well-being. Since publication of AMA's Return to Work, the Australian Royal College of Physicians has issued a consensus statement about the negative health consequences of becoming unemployed and the health benefits of returning to work. Key points include: for most individuals, working improves general health and well-being and reduces psychological distress; even musculoskeletal and mental health conditions attributed to work can benefit from activity-based rehabilitation and an early return to suitable work; long-term work absence is harmful to physical and mental health and well-being; the negative effects of remaining away from work include stress on the worker's families, including children. Of the potential consequences of unemployment in mid-adult life, the worst is premature death. In causation research, unlike medical treatment studies, individuals cannot be randomly assigned to a group that is forced to remain at work and a group that is forced to be unemployed. Even so, causation research has found strong evidence for a protective effect of employment on depression and general mental health. In performing evaluations, physicians must accurately assess work ability and recognize the healthy benefits of work.
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Talmage JB, Melhorn JM, Hyman MH. AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Work Ability and Return to Work, 2nd Ed. American Medical Association: Chicago, IL; 2011.
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Peter LJ. Peter's Quotations: Ideas for Our Time. Bantam Books: New York, NY; 1977.
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FinestQuotes.com. Work Quotes. http://www.finestquotes.com/select_quote-category-Work-page-1.htm. Accessed Jan 2, 2020.
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Ryff CD. The benefits of purposeful life engagement on later-life physical function. JAMA Psychiatry. 2017;74(10):1046–1047. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2648691. Accessed Jan 2, 2020.
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Canadian Medical Association. CMA policy: the treating physician's role in helping patients return to work after an illness or injury (update 2013). https://policybase.cma.ca/dbtwwpd/Policypdf/PD13-05.pdf. Accessed Jan2, 2020.
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American Medical Association. Physician guidelines for return to work after injury or illness (Resolution 407, A-02). In: Report 12 of the Council on Scientific Affairs (A-04). American Medical Association: Chicago, IL; June 2004.
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American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. AAOS position statement: early return to work programs. No. 1150 (retired June 2011). American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; Rosemont, IL:2000. https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-education-and-research-center-for-occupational-safety-and-health/2012pdc_slides/Cloeren_AAOS%20position%20paper%20RTW.pdf. Accessed Jan 23, 2020.
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Jurisic M, Bean M, Harbaugh J, et al.The personal physician's role in helping patients with medical conditions stay at work or return to work. J Occup Enviro Med. 2017;59(6):e125–e131. https://journals.lww.com/joem/Fulltext/2017/06000/The_Personal_Physician_s_Role_in_Helping_Patients.21.aspx. Accessed Jan 2, 2020.
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UK Department for Work & Pensions. Guidance. Advising patients about work: evidence based approach for GPs. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advising-patients-about-work-evidence-based-approach-for-gps/advising-patients-about-work. Accessed January 2, 2020.
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Allebeck P, Mastekaasa A. Chapter 5. Risk factors for sick leave–general studies. Scand J Public Health. 2004;32(Suppl 63):49–108. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14034950410021853. Accessed Jan2, 2020.
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The Royal Australasian College of Physicians and The Australasian Faculty of Occupational & Environmental Medicine. Realizing the health benefits of work: an evidence update. November 2015. https://www.racp.edu.au/docs/default-source/advocacy-library/pa-health-benefits-of-work-evidence-update.pdf?sfvrsn=4. Accessed Jan 2, 2020.
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Waddel G, Burton KA. Is work good for your health and well-being? Dept of Work and Pensions, HM Government or The Stationery Office; 2006. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/214326/hwwb-is-work-good-for-you.pdf. Accessed Jan 23, 2020.
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Roelfs DJ, Shor E, Davisdon KW, Schwartz EJ. Losing life and livelihood: A systematic review and meta-analysis of unemployment and all-cause mortality. Soc Sci & Med. 2011;72(6):840–854. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.01.005. Epub 2011 Jan 27. Accessed Jan 2, 2020.
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van der Noordt M, IJzelenberg H, Droomers M, Proper K. Health effects of employment: a systematic review of prospective studies. Occup Environ Med. 2014;71:730–736. https://oem.bmj.com/content/71/10/730. Accessed Jan 2, 2020.
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Mikkelsen MB, Rosholm M. Systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions aimed at enhancing return to work for sick-listed workers with common mental disorders, stress-related disorders, somatoform disorders and personality disorders. Occup Environ Med. 2018;75(9):675–686. https://oem.bmj.com/content/75/9/675.info. Accessed Jan 2, 2020.
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Herber GC, Ruijsbroek A, Koopmanschap M, et al.Single transitions and persistence of unemployment are associated with poor health outcomes. BMC Public Health. 2019;19(740). https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-7059-8. Accessed Jan 2, 2020.
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Carlier BE, Schuring M, Lötters FJB, et al.The influence of re-employment on quality of life and self-rated health, a longitudinal study among unemployed persons in the Netherlands. BMC Public Health. 2013;13:503. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-13-503. Accessed Jan 2, 2020.
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