Den försäkrades upplevelser av utvidgad aktivitetsförmågeutredning

Abstract

Abstract

Introduction: Work is generally good for the health and well-being of people of all societies. Being stricken with illness causes changes in life and sick-leave compensation is an important benefit. New health insurance regulations place increased demands for early assessment of a client’s ability to work, and legally secure illness evaluation processes must be based upon medical data of good quality. Within this assignment the Swedish Social Insurance Department has developed the model “Investigation of Activity Ability” (AFU) for assessment of medical requirements for work regarding persons who have been on sick-leave for 180 days. This exposes the client to several assessment processes by different professionals. Purpose: To investigate and acquire more knowledge about clients’ experience of Expanded Investigation of Activity Ability. Method: A qualitative method of research with semi-structured interviews. Seven clients who underwent AFU were interviewed and content analysis procedures followed Granheim and Lundman (2004). Results: Four manifest categories could be discerned: "investigation of activity ability as an arena for the communicative approach”, “establishing alliance, the basis for successful investigative work", "experiences of expanded investigation resources" and "clients' views on returning to work". Conclusions: The communicative approach was experienced as positive on the whole, but there was some uncertainty regarding the fairness of the assessment report conclusions as well about returning to work. More research is needed, taking into account both the experiences of clients and professionals in order to gain the best overview of how the meetings are formed and the consequences of the investigations regarding return to work. To put greater emphasis on activity ability than limitations, would increase the insured's empowerment and confidence, but additional development of the method is needed.