Die Rehabilitation · 2026
Return to Work of People With Chronic Health Conditions After Medical or Vocational Rehabilitation During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Qualitative Study.
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Sänger Nadine, Elling Mathis, Hetzel Christian, Schwarz Betje
Аннотация
PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic had diverse impacts on various aspects of societal life. The aim of this study, part of a mixed methods project, was to examine how the pandemic affected return to work after medical or vocational rehabilitation.
METHODS: A total of 60 guided interviews and three focus groups were conducted. Participants included rehabilitation practitioners, occupational actors, and rehabilitees in medical or vocational rehabilitation during the pandemic. The collected data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A deductive category system of potential return-to-work factors, structured according to the dimensions of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, was applied, and inductive subcategories were developed. Each factor was categorized according to its pandemic influence.
RESULTS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, rehabilitees experienced health burdens, isolation, and limited access to medical treatments. The strained labor market led to fears of job loss, terminations, and difficulties in reintegration. Workplace barriers included a lack of support and high workloads, while leaders perceived as understanding and supportive organizational structures facilitated the return to work. In medical rehabilitation, reduced capacities and therapy offerings posed challenges. Vocational rehabilitation had to be delivered digitally and the transition into practical work was aggravated. Overall, factors such as self-management, digital literacy, and financial stability influenced return to work outcomes.
CONCLUSION: Even during the pandemic, return to work was shaped by "well-known," pandemic-independent factors (e. g., motivation). However, some of these factors gained particular relevance in this context (e. g., health literacy). Additionally, pandemic-specific return to work factors emerged (e. g., infection control measures). In medical rehabilitation, pandemic-independent factors such as a lack of work-related counseling or uncooperative leadership remained primary barriers to reintegration. Vocational rehabilitation, on the other hand, faced greater challenges due to the strained labor market and the necessity of digital solutions, making pandemic-specific and pandemic-moderated factors more impactful.
METHODS: A total of 60 guided interviews and three focus groups were conducted. Participants included rehabilitation practitioners, occupational actors, and rehabilitees in medical or vocational rehabilitation during the pandemic. The collected data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A deductive category system of potential return-to-work factors, structured according to the dimensions of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, was applied, and inductive subcategories were developed. Each factor was categorized according to its pandemic influence.
RESULTS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, rehabilitees experienced health burdens, isolation, and limited access to medical treatments. The strained labor market led to fears of job loss, terminations, and difficulties in reintegration. Workplace barriers included a lack of support and high workloads, while leaders perceived as understanding and supportive organizational structures facilitated the return to work. In medical rehabilitation, reduced capacities and therapy offerings posed challenges. Vocational rehabilitation had to be delivered digitally and the transition into practical work was aggravated. Overall, factors such as self-management, digital literacy, and financial stability influenced return to work outcomes.
CONCLUSION: Even during the pandemic, return to work was shaped by "well-known," pandemic-independent factors (e. g., motivation). However, some of these factors gained particular relevance in this context (e. g., health literacy). Additionally, pandemic-specific return to work factors emerged (e. g., infection control measures). In medical rehabilitation, pandemic-independent factors such as a lack of work-related counseling or uncooperative leadership remained primary barriers to reintegration. Vocational rehabilitation, on the other hand, faced greater challenges due to the strained labor market and the necessity of digital solutions, making pandemic-specific and pandemic-moderated factors more impactful.