Vocational Rehabilitation and Occupational Therapy: Impact of a Knowledge Translation Initiative

Abstract

In musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and chronic pain, work disability has been identified as pervasive and costly, from human, societal and economic perspectives (Gignac et al., 2008; Bevan et al., 2009a,2009b; Leon et al., 2009). Vocational rehabilitation (VR) has been defined as: ‘a process to overcome the barriers an individual faces when accessing, remaining or returning to work following injury, illness or impairment’ (Department for Work and Pensions, 2004). VR has the potential to reduce the risk, cost and the negative human effect of work disability (Franche et al., 2005; Briand et al., 2008; Waddell et al., 2008). The integration of VR into a standard healthcare role is reported as necessary but is challenged in many countries which fail to incentivize return to work or resource health-related employment services, or lack policy frameworks to promote work ability (Alsop, 2004; Adam et al., 2010; Szeto et al., 2011). Allied health professionals are encouraged to use an evidence-based model of care to improve the effectiveness of clinical interventions and influence a positive patient outcome in developing areas of practice (Bennett and Bennett, 2000, Law, 2002; McCluskey and Cusick, 2002). Yet, allied health professionals consistently report that they do not have training, time, support or resources tomaster evidence-based practice (EBP) skills (McCluskey and Cusick, 2002; Rappolt and Tassone, 2002; Bennett et al., 2003; Grol and Grimshaw, 2003; McCluskey, 2003; Haynes et al., 2012; Caldwell et al., 2008; Lin et al., 2010; Murphy and Robinson, 2010). This rings true for VR, with occupational therapists (OTs) feeling