Effect of financial compensation on vocational rehabilitation

Objective: To examine how financial compensation affects the outcome of vocational rehabilitation. Design: A registry-based follow-up study. Subjects: A total of 1397 rehabilitees discharged from the 5 local rehabilitation agencies in Aarhus County, Denmark from 1 July 2000 to 31 December 2001. Methods: At submission demographic data was obtained as well as data on financial compensation, i.e. compensation for industrial injury, indemnity for off-duty injury and application for disability pension. Rehabilitation outcomes were recorded at discharge. Renouncing further attempts at rehabilitation was defined as a negative outcome; education, further rehabilitation or return-to-work on normal or less demanding terms were defined as a positive outcome. Rehabilitees with and without financial compensation were compared. Results: Rehabilitees with involvement of financial compensation had an increased risk of a negative outcome compared with those without involvement of financial compensation. Adjustment for potential confounders did not change the association between financial compensation and negative outcome. The risk of a negative outcome rose with increasing age, with less than 1 year of labour market experience and with rented housing. Previous occupation as a skilled worker reduced the risk. Conclusion: Financial compensation was associated with an increased risk of a negative vocational rehabilitation outcome.