The work ability index and single-item question: associations with sick leave, symptoms, and health--a prospective study of women on long-term sick leave.

By L. Ahlstrom, A. Grimby-Ekman, M. Hagberg, L. Dellve. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, 2010

625 citations recorded by the source corpus.

OBJECTIVES This study investigated the association between the work ability index (WAI) and the single-item question on work ability among women working in human service organizations (HSO) currently on long-term sick leave. It also examined the association between the WAI and the single-item question in relation to sick leave, symptoms, and health. Predictive values of the WAI, the changed WAI, the single-item question and the changed single-item question were investigated for degree of sick leave, symptoms, and health. METHODS This cohort study comprised 324 HSO female workers on long-term (>60 days) sick leave, with follow-ups at 6 and 12 months. Participants responded to questionnaires. Data on work ability, sick leave, health, and symptoms were analyzed with regard to associations and predictability. Spearman correlation and mixed-model analysis were performed for repeated measurements over time. RESULTS The study showed a very strong association between the WAI and the single-item question among all participants. Both the WAI and the single-item question showed similar patterns of associations with sick leave, health, and symptoms. The predictive value for the degree of sick leave and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was strong for both the WAI and the single-item question, and slightly less strong for vitality, neck pain, both self-rated general and mental health, and behavioral and current stress. CONCLUSION This study suggests that the single-item question on work ability could be used as a simple indicator for assessing the status and progress of work ability among women on long-term sick leave.

Subfields: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, General Health Professions, Psychiatry and Mental health

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/b523ded7135079ab376cde614bdb343aeebb7752

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In Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

In General Health Professions

Citations in the corpus

Are job and personal resources associated with work ability 10 years later? The mediating role of work engagement (2014, background): “Prior studies have indicated a strong association between the total WAI-score and the single-item indicator (e.g. Ahlstrom et al., 2010).”
The moderating effects of job control and selection, optimization, and compensation strategies on the age-work ability relationship (2013, background): “The WAI has been criticized for a contentious factor structure and including aspects that are only indirectly related to work ability (e.g., diagnosed diseases and sick leaves; Ahlstrom et al., 2010; Martus, Jakob, Rose, Seibt, & Freude, 2010).”