A municipality-based vocational rehabilitation programme for occupationally marginalized citizens: a study protocol...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Social Sciences
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Vocational rehabilitation programmes (VRP) were legally established in Denmark in 2013.
• These programs aim to assist occupationally marginalized citizens in developing life skills and work ability.
• The project seeks to understand the health, psychosocial, and work circumstances of VRP participants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a detailed understanding of participants' health, psychosocial, and work circumstances.
• To identify key processes and mechanisms influencing the effects of VRP participation.
• To inform the future design of individually tailored VRPs.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory mixed methods approach using sequential quantitative and qualitative data.
• Longitudinal survey with questionnaires at baseline and one-year follow-up.
• Semi-structured interviews and observations to explore participant experiences.

Main Results:

• Study will identify characteristics, experiences, and outcomes of VRP participants.
• Potential enablers and barriers to successful VRP outcomes will be identified.
• Unique knowledge corpus on VRP impact for occupationally marginalized citizens.

Conclusions:

• Findings will contribute to a better understanding of VRP effectiveness.
• Knowledge gained will inform the refinement of VRP design for improved participant outcomes.
• The study aims to enhance the support provided to occupationally marginalized individuals through tailored rehabilitation.