Selection of clients for vocational rehabilitation at six local social insurance offices: a combined register and questionnaire study on rehabilitation measures and attitudes among social insurance officers.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate possible differences between local social insurance offices with regard to their selection of clients for vocational rehabilitation. A further aim was to determine whether social insurance officers from different local insurance offices have uniform attitudes regarding professional practice in their application of the insurance system. METHODS A register-based investigation of 815 vocational rehabilitees served by 6 local social insurance offices in a Swedish county. The study was supplemented with a questionnaire to 30 officers about attitudes to social insurance. RESULTS The office with the lowest rate of sick-listing periods exceeding one year, and a high frequency of employment training, showed the highest degree of work resumption and the lowest pension rate after vocational rehabilitation. There were wide differences in attitude among the local social insurance officers regarding professional practice in their application of the system. CONCLUSION Intra-county differences occur in handling people on sick-leave who undergo vocational rehabilitation. The local social insurance offices with the highest and lowest outcome rates of work resumption and disability pension, respectively, select clients for vocational rehabilitation from different categories of cases. Social insurance officers from different local offices differ in their attitudes towards the social insurance system and its clients.