Research priorities are critical

Building on the review by Goldner et al., I argue that the first research tasks for disability management in Canada should be to articulate conceptual models; define promising disability management interventions and characterize the current longitudinal health and labour market trajectories of Canadians disabled by mental conditions. Research should next emphasize pilot studies of novel interventions and observational studies that examine the relationship between treatment, workplace interventions, work environments and disability outcomes. Selective randomized trials of disability management interventions should be considered downstream. Mental health treatment optimization should be assigned a lower funding priority than research on workplace interventions.