Affiliations: School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University,
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | Head School of Human Services, Griffith University,
Logan Campus, Meadowbrook, Queensland, Australia
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Associate Professor Nicholas Buys,
Head, School of Human Services, Griffith University, Logan Campus, University
Drive, Meadowbrook, Old. 4131, Australia. Tel.: +61 7 3382 1208; Fax: +61 7
3382 1210; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: The health, well-being and productivity of workers and employers in
today's society is becoming increasingly important. The social, emotional and
economic costs of injury and illness are such that governments throughout the
world are attempting to implement policies and practices to contain these
costs. One response in this area is Disability Management (DM). DM focuses on
the management of employees with work injuries or illnesses in the workplace
rather than offsite in rehabilitation centres. Regional interest in the DM
approach has now gained momentum in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
This article briefly reviews two studies that were conducted in Australia and
Canada (results have or are being published elsewhere). Although the two
studies were not designed for comparison purposes they provide interesting and
useful information about the similarities and differences in the practice of DM
in Australia and Canada. Findings are compared in terms of five primary
principles of DM and it is argued that it is important to understand the
ecological contexts in which DM occurs as well as share trans-national research
in this area to help inform policy and practice.
Keywords: disability management, integrated return to work programs, injury management, workplace accommodation
