[Vocational performance tests for brain-injured patients: a follow-up study]

Work hardening programmes are suggested for brain-injured patients who were unemployed during the rehabilitation period or could not return to their previous job due to specific impairments. The aim of this vocational intervention is to obtain information about the chance of competitive re-employment and about potential obstacles preventing it. In 1994 the city of Munich has established opportunities to perform work hardening programmes in selected municipal work domains. Between 1994 and 1998, 28 patients from the neuropsychological department of the Munich-Bogenhausen municipal hospital underwent such an intervention. 18 persons could be contacted for structured telephone interviews addressing their work histories after discharge from the rehabilitation unit. Three former patients who had retired immediately after the work hardening intervention did not attempt to resume working. Among the remaining 15 patients, six were able to resume full-time competitive work at follow-up, four persons were still employed but had been forced to limit work demands, and five persons had retired. A positive course of reintegration was seen in three patients who received a special vocational support following the work hardening intervention at the same place of work. A negative outcome resulted in four persons who were recommended to participate in vocational retraining. A poor general life satisfaction was reported particularly by retired persons.