Psychological capacity limitations according to Mini-ICF-APP are differently related with sick leave in patients from different professional fields

Abstract

Objective: Up to 29% of the working population suffer from (chronic) mental disorders and work disability. As different professions pose different psychological capacity demands, one core aspect for describing work disability is psychological capacity limitations. The distribution of capacity limitations in patients with chronic mental disorders (CMD) from different professional fields is unknown, as well as their relation with sick leave. Objective: Are there different work ability limitations in CMD patients working in different professions? Methods: 263 CMD patients from different professions were investigated cross-sectionally in a thorough medical and psychological assessment by a trained psychosomatic study physician. Besides CMD diagnostic (MINI) and subjective work ability limitations (IMET), an observer rating on capacity limitations was conducted with Mini-ICF-APP. Results: No relevant differences in perceived work ability limitations were found between the professions. Differences of capacity limitations were better explained by psychopathology than by profession. But capacity limitations were differently related with sick leave in different professions and there are differences in sick leave duration. Conclusions: The variance of capacity limitations was explained by psychopathology. The variance of sick leave duration was explained by profession. Similar capacity limitations are associated differently with sick leave in different professions. Different professional fields may have different tolerances towards the same capacity limitations. Therefore, similar capacity limitations are more or less strongly associated with sick leave in different professions.

Assessing the severity of functional impairment of psychiatric disorders: equipercentile linking the mini-ICF-APP and CGI

“…The subsequent studies of the English and Italian version of the scale covered a broader diagnostic spectrum, including patients with a psychotic disorder [16–18]. Recent studies focused on patients with a chronic mental disorder [19] as well as with posttraumatic stress disorder [20]. Since its introduction, the mini-ICF-APP has been progressively implemented by health care providers, insurance companies and pension funds to assess disability and work impairment [16–18, 21, 22].…”