PATHWAYS - PArticipation To Healthy Workplaces And inclusive Strategies in the Work Sector

                                                                                                                                             

Description

Individuals with chronic diseases and mental disorders often experience work-related problems, such as unemployment, absenteeism, reduced productivity and stigmatization in the workplace, leading to negative consequences at individual, national and European levels. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases and mental disorders makes this issue even more problematic and require actions in terms of innovative strategies to improve the participation of these persons in the labour market. However, this is hindered by a lack of knowledge of which strategies are available in the different European countries and their effectiveness, and a lack of clarity regarding the employment-related needs of these individuals, leading to gaps between what is offered and what is needed. Therefore, PATHWAYS aimed a) to identify integration and re-integration strategies available in Europe, b) to determine their effectiveness and factors supporting and hindering their effect, c) to assess the specific employment-related needs of persons with chronic diseases and mental disorders and d) to develop guidelines supporting the implementation of effective professional integration and re-integration strategies.

Involvement in PATHWAYS of 12 partners with vast expertise in the area of chronic and mental conditions and employment from 10 different European countries allowed to compare strategies between different European regions taking into account cultural, social and political differences. Stakeholder consultations, including advocacy organizations, employers, policy makers, international organizations, and European Union delegates, provided useful insights to the development and implementation of policy recommendations to improve their integration or re-integration into the workplace. In this way, PATHWAYS provided valuable information to work towards a more inclusive labour market in which persons with chronic diseases and mental disorders can meaningfully participate.

Cooperation partners

PATHWAYS is a EU- project coordinated by Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neuologico “Carlo Besta” (Milano, Italy) (Coodinator: Matilde Leonardi). Partners of the consortiums are the following institutions:

• Chair for Public Health and Health Services Research, IBE, Ludwig-Maximilians University (LMU) (Munich, Germany)
• Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Madrid, Spain)
• Parc Sanitar Sant Joan de Déu (Barcelona, Spain)
• Panepistimio Thessalias (Volos, Greece)
• University Rehabilitation Institute (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
• Vseobecna Fakultni Nemocnice (Prague, Czech Republic)
• Uniwersytet Jagiellonski (Krakau, Poland)
• Hogskolen i Oslo og Akershus (Oslo, Norway)
• European Association of Services Providers for Persons with Disabilities AISBL (Brussel, Belgium)
• Gaital-Klinik (Klagenfurt, Austria)
• Fachhochschule Kärnten (Spittal an der Drau, Austria)

Duration

05/2015 – 04/2018

Funding

Funded by the European Union under 3rd Health Programme.

 

 

 

Downloads

• Integration and re-integration strategies available in Europe
• Effectiveness of integration and re-integration strategies and contributing factors
• Employment-related needs of persons with chronic diseases and mental disorders
• Policy recommendations to promote/support an inclusive labour market in Europe

Contacts

Dr. Carla Sabariego, MPH (Principal Investigator)
Carla.Sabariego@med.lmu.de

Dr. Michaela Coenen, MPH
Senior Researcher
Michaela.Coenen@med.lmu.de

Dipl. Psych. Eva Esteban, MPH
Senior Researcher
Eva.Esteban@med.lmu.de