Jackson Yanina, Kelland Jill, Cosco Theodore D, McNeil Diane C, Reddon John R
Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Work. 2009;33(4):381-7. doi: 10.3233/WOR-2009-0886.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of vocational rehabilitation on vocational outcomes in individuals with a mental illness, yet effects on secondary outcomes remain largely unexplored. This study investigates the impact of vocational rehabilitation on the utilization of emergency, ambulatory care and inpatient services in individuals with a mental illness.
Using a repeated measures study design, the utilization of health services by individuals with a mental illness (n= 37) was compared before and during their engagement in training and employment at a social enterprise - a form of vocational rehabilitation.
Individuals with a mental illness had significantly less emergency department visits (p=0.01), ambulatory care visits (p=0.01) and hospital admissions (p=0.05), but no difference in hospital length of stay (p=0.39), during training/employment, compared to pre-training/employment at a social enterprise.
The reduction in health services utilization found in this study may reflect symptom and overall health improvement, highlighting the importance of vocational rehabilitation programs for individuals with a mental illness. In addition, results from this study can inform stakeholders and policymakers about the impact of vocational rehabilitation on the healthcare system to help guide decisions regarding program implementation or continuation, and funding allocation.
众多研究已证明职业康复对患有精神疾病的个体的职业成果具有有益影响，但对次要成果的影响在很大程度上仍未得到探索。本研究调查职业康复对患有精神疾病的个体使用急诊、门诊护理和住院服务的影响。
采用重复测量研究设计，比较了患有精神疾病的个体（n = 37）在参与社会企业（一种职业康复形式）的培训和就业之前及期间的医疗服务使用情况。
与在社会企业进行培训/就业前相比，患有精神疾病的个体在培训/就业期间的急诊就诊次数（p = 0.01）、门诊护理就诊次数（p = 0.01）和住院次数（p = 0.05）显著减少，但住院时间无差异（p = （此处原文有误，应为0.39））。
本研究中发现的医疗服务使用减少可能反映了症状和整体健康状况的改善，凸显了职业康复项目对患有精神疾病的个体的重要性。此外，本研究结果可为利益相关者和政策制定者提供有关职业康复对医疗保健系统影响的信息，以帮助指导有关项目实施或延续以及资金分配的决策。
