Vocational Rehabilitation and Its Impact on the Quality of Life of People with Disabilities

WHO DAS II Questionnaire Survey

Abstract

Goal: The article presents the results of research on the impact of vocational rehabilitation on the quality of life of individuals with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation was provided by employment offices in collaboration with three experimental vocational rehabilitation centers (Chomutov, Brno, Pardubice) between 2021 and 2022. The research was conducted as part of a European project from 2020 to 2023.

Methods: Quality of life was examined among participants of vocational rehabilitation (n = 93) who participated in a pilot study and agreed to participate in the research, which was conducted using the WHO DAS II questionnaire. The results of testing were compared among participants before entering vocational rehabilitation (A), at the completion of vocational rehabilitation (B), and among employed participants (n = 59) also three months after starting employment (C).

Conclusion: The quality of life of the participants in vocational rehabilitation improved in the areas of life activities (including work) and participation in society, regardless of whether they retained employment for at least three months. Participation in society and life activities were perceived as the most problematic at the start of vocational rehabilitation. The most significant improvements in these areas were observed among clients who retained employment for at least three months. Clients who retained employment for at least three months did not experience an improvement in quality of life only in the area of mobility difficulties and self-care. Mobility difficulties and self-care were perceived as the least problematic overall by clients at the start of vocational rehabilitation.