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Appendix 1: Wording and scoring of the Work Ability Index
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Work demands
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Are the demands of your work primarily?
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This preliminary item is only needed for weighting the scores of item 2.
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Mental (1)
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Physical (2)
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Both mental and physical (3)
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1. Current work ability compared with the lifetime best
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Assume that your work ability at its best has a value of 10 points. How many points would
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you give your current work ability? (0 means that you cannot currently work at all)
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completely unable to work 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 work ability at its best
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2. Work ability with relation to the demands of the job
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How do you rate your current work ability with respect to the physical demands of your
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work?
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very good (5)
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rather good (4)
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moderate (3)
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rather poor (2)
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very poor (1)
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How do you rate your current work ability with respect to the mental demands of your work?
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very good (5)
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rather good (4)
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moderate (3)
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rather poor (2)
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very poor (1)
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3. Number of current diseases diagnosed by a physician
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In the following list, mark your diseases or injuries which a physician has diagnosed or
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treated. Circle more than one alternative if needed.
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Injury from accident (1)
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Musculoskeletal disease (1)
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Cardiovascular disease (1)
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Respiratory disease (1)
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Mental disorder (1)
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Neurological and sensory disease (1)
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Digestive disease (1)
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Genitourinary disease (1)
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Skin disease (1)
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Tumor (1)
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Endocrine and metabolic diseases (1)
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Blood diseases (1)
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Birth defects (1)
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Other disorder or disease (1)
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4. Estimated work impairment due to disease
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Is your illness or injury a hindrance to your current job? Circle more than one alternative if
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needed.
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There is no hindrance/I have no diseases. (6)
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I am able to do my job, but it causes some symptoms. (5)
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I must sometimes slow down my work pace or change my work methods. (4)
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I must often slow down my work pace or change my work methods. (3)
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Because of my disease, I feel I am able to do only part-time work. (2)
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In my opinion, I am entirely unable to work. (1)
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2
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5. Sick leave during the past year (12 months)
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How many whole days have you been off work because of a health problem (disease or health
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care or for examination) during the past year (12 months)?
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none at all (5)
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at the most 9 days (4)
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10–24 days (3)
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25–99 days (2)
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100–365 days (1)
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6. Own prognosis of work ability two years from now
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Do you believe that, from the standpoint of your health, you will be able to do your current
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job two years from now?
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unlikely (1)
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not certain (4)
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relatively certain (7)
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7. Mental resources
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Have you recently been able to enjoy your regular daily activities?
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often (4)
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rather often (3)
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sometimes (2)
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rather seldom (1)
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never (0)
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Have you recently been active and alert?
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always (4)
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rather often (3)
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sometimes (2)
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rather seldom (1)
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never (0)
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3
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Have you recently felt yourself to be full of hope for the future?
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continuously (4)
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rather often (3)
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sometimes (2)
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rather seldom (1)
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never (0)
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Scoring
points
1. Current work ability compared with the lifetime best (0-10 points)
2. Work ability with relation to the demands of the job (2-10 points)
Weighted sum according to primary work demands (initial item).
a) mental: score of physical demands * 0,5 + score of mental demands * 1,5
b) physical: score of physical demands * 1,5 + score of mental demands * 0,5
c) both: score of physical demands + score of mental demands
3. Number of current diseases diagnosed by a physician
no diseases = 7 points
1 disease = 5 points
2 or 3 disease = 3 points
≥4 diseases = 1 points
4. Estimated work impairment due to disease (1-6 points)
If more than one alternative were circled, the lowest score is chosen.
5. Sick leave (1-5 points)
6. Own prognosis of work ability (1-7 points)
7. Mental resources (1-4 points)
Sum 0-3 = 1 points
Sum 4-6 = 2 points
Sum 7-9 = 3 points
Sum 10-12 = 4 points
Total score (only integers, round if necessary; 7-49 points)
102
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