Return to work after chronic disease: A theoretical framework for understanding the worker-employer dynamic

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Sociology of Work

Background:

• Return to work after chronic disease is crucial for individuals, employers, and society.
• The process presents significant challenges, necessitating a comprehensive understanding.
• Existing theoretical models often fail to adequately address the worker-employer relationship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an analytical and theoretical framework for understanding return to work after chronic disease.
• To integrate person-environment fit theory into the return-to-work process.
• To provide a comprehensive model encompassing worker-employer dynamics and broader contextual factors.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of literature on return to work after chronic diseases.
• Analysis and critique of existing theoretical models in the field.
• Review of the application of person-environment fit theory.

Main Results:

• A novel analytical and theoretical framework is proposed.
• The framework emphasizes the worker-employer dynamic, which is often overlooked.
• It incorporates broader factors like policy, labor market, and stakeholder influences, viewing return to work as a phased, cyclical process.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework offers a more comprehensive understanding of the return-to-work process.
• It can guide future research and identify challenges for workers and employers.
• Empirical testing of the framework is recommended for validation.