http://repub.eur.nl/res/aut/2611/ List of Publications en http://repub.eur.nl/static-eur/img/logo.png http://repub.eur.nl http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/20161/ 2010-06-01T00:00:00Z OBJECTIVE:: The influence of health and work on early retirement and incentives for longer working were determined. METHODS:: A systematic review was conducted of longitudinal studies on factors for nondisability early retirement. Besides, seven focus group interviews (n = 32) were conducted about reasons for planning retirement early and incentives to stay longer in work among workers with poor and excellent work ability. RESULTS:: Eight longitudinal studies showed that important factors for early retirement were poor health, being single, high physical work demands, high work pressure, low job satisfaction, and lack of physical activity in leisure time. In addition, focus group participants reported shift work, social support, and appreciative leadership style also as factors. CONCLUSIONS:: Poor health and poor work circumstances are important factors in decisions to retire early. Social support and appreciative leadership style may be buffers in this process. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/16019/ 2009-06-06T00:00:00Z This paper systematically reviews the scientific literature on the effects of individual and work-related factors on the Work Ability Index (WAI). Studies on work ability published from 1985 to 2006 were identified through a structured search in PubMed, and Web of Science. Studies were included if the WAI was used as measure of work ability and if quantitative information was presented on determinants of work ability. In total, 20 studies were included with 14 cross-sectional studies and six longitudinal studies. Factors associated with poor work ability, as defined by WAI, were lack of leisure-time vigorous physical activity, poor musculoskeletal capacity, older age, obesity, high mental work demands, lack of autonomy, poor physical work environment, and high physical work load. The WAI is associated with individual characteristics, lifestyle, demands at work, and physical condition. This multifactorial nature of work ability should be taken into account in health promotion programmes aimed at maintaining and promoting the participation of the labour force and improvement of the performance at work. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/13622/ 2008-10-25T00:00:00Z OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to explore the associations of psychosocial factors at work, life style, and stressful life events on health and work ability among white-collar workers. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among workers in commercial services (n = 1141). The main outcome variables were work ability, measured by the work ability index (WAI), and mental and physical health, measured by the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Individual characteristics, psychosocial factors at work, stressful life events, and lifestyle factors were determined by a questionnaire. Maximum oxygen uptake, weight, height, and biceps strength were measured during a physical examination. RESULTS: Work ability of white-collar workers in commercial services industry was strongly associated with psychosocial factors at work such as teamwork, stress handling, and self-development and, to a lesser extent, with stressful life events, lack of physical activity, and obesity. Determinants of mental health were very similar to those of work ability, whereas physical health was influenced primarily by life style factors. With respect to work ability, the influence of unhealthy life style seems more important for older workers, than for their younger colleagues. CONCLUSION: Among white-collar workers mental and physical health were of equal importance to work ability, but only mental health and work ability shared the same determinants. The strong associations between psychosocial factors at work and mental health and work ability suggest that in this study population health promotion should address working conditions rather than individual life style factors. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/10364/ 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z The number of native Dutch and Turkish workers receiving a permanent disability pension in the Netherlands is still rising. To assess ethnic differences in disability risk between Dutch and Turkish scaffolders, a retrospective study was conducted within a large scaffolding company. Medical files for the period 1981-2000 were used to gather information on ethnicity, age at entering service, age at becoming disabled, years of employment, the year to receive a disability pension, the disability diagnosis, and the percentage rating of the disability pension. In the past 20 yr, 131 Turkish and 125 Dutch scaffolders have become disabled. Musculoskeletal disorders were the primary reason for the diagnosis. No differences in diagnoses were observed, except for a small difference in cardiovascular disease. Turkish scaffolders started their work at an older age, received the disability pension at an older age, and had a longer duration of employment. Turkish scaffolders faced disability 2.48 (95% confidence interval 1.94-3.18) times more often than their Dutch colleagues, adjusted for age. Explanations for the differences in disability risk between Dutch and Turkish scaffolders are sought in the older age at start of employment, lower mobility in the labour market, and less access to medical and social care. In future, employers, general practitioners, occupational health physicians and social security workers, as stakeholders in reintegration, should sufficiently attune their activities concerning care and cure for Turkish construction workers on long-term sick leave or during reintegration into other work. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/1110/ 2003-10-08T00:00:00Z In many occupational populations, musculoskeletal disorders constitute an important source of morbidity, sickness absence, and disability and attribute to a substantial social and economic burden for society. This is certainly applicable to scaffolders, the study population in this thesis. Although many research efforts have been undertaken, relationships between various work-related risk factors and different stages of musculoskeletal disorders still remain unclear. A theoretical model serves as a framework for studying the dynamic character of complaints over time and the impact of workrelated risk factors on the occurrence of low back pain. The consequences of low back pain complaints in terms of sickness absence and disability are studied in order to identify intervention strategies for successfully enhanced return to work. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/9717/ 2001-01-01T00:00:00Z OBJECTIVES: To assess with a cross sectional study the interrelations between physical, psychosocial, and individual risk factors and different end points of low back pain. METHODS: In total, 229 scaffolders and 59 supervisors completed a questionnaire about manual handling of materials, awkward back posture, strenuous arm position, perceived exertion, psychosocial load, need for recovery, and general health. Physical load at the worksite was also measured with many frequent observations. Interrelations between risk factors and their relation with four end points of low back pain were investigated. RESULTS: Interrelations were strong among self reported determinants of physical load but showed an inverted trend for both age and total working experience, which could indicate the presence of a healthy worker effect. Weak relations existed between variables of psychosocial and physical load. The multivariate analyses showed a significant relation between high manual handling of materials, moderate perceived general health, high job demands, and low back pain in the past 12 months. Chronic low back pain was significantly correlated with high perceived exertion and moderate perceived general health. Severe low back pain was significantly correlated with awkward back postures, high need for recovery, and high job demands. Finally, low back pain with perceived disability was significantly related to strenuous shoulder positions and moderate perceived general health. All end points of low back pain were consistently associated with physical load whereas psychosocial aspects showed a more diverse pattern. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that work related risk factors may vary according to different definitions of low back pain. Distinct patterns of risk factors might enhance different expressions of it. Scaffolders are a group at high risk of developing persistent forms of low back pain.