Improving medical rehabilitation

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December 21, 2016

For most people, the ability to work is an important part of their life. As a rule, those who get sick and can not work want to get back on the job as quickly as possible. A new project of the German Retirement Insurance Fund Oldenburg-Bremen (Deutschen Rentenversicherung Oldenburg-Bremen) and the Montanus Clinic Bad Schwalbach in cooperation with Jacobs University is now studying the significance of physical fitness for medical rehab. The goal is to improve existing programs and to make it easier for affected persons to return to work. Following the initial kickoff meeting, the measurements will soon begin.

The return to work after an illness is often not easy; it depends on many factors. One great influence is the interaction of performance, cardiovascular system, and physical activity. The importance of these factors for getting well is now being investigated in the project just starting, along with the question of why some are better able than others to finish rehab successfully and thus to ensure their capacity to work.

This new study builds upon the research project “EXPERTIS,” which researchers at Jacobs University carried out in collaboration with the German Retirement Insurance Fund. In the “EXPERTIS” study, however, only subjective influencing factors were examined. “We want to understand better, what those who have difficulty re-integrating can learn from the 'successful' insured,” says Professor Sonia Lippke, who has responsibility for the project on the Jacobs University side. It is called “Spiro,” which stands more or less for “spiroergometric and psychological measurements to predict the capacity to work and return to work after 18 and 36 months following medical rehabilitation.” The goal of the study is to compare the subjective health data obtained via questionnaire with the medically collected objective data, in order to identify interactions and interconnections.

Persons insured with the German Retirement Insurance Fund Oldenburg-Bremen who take part in medical rehab will soon receive an invitation to participate in the study. The researchers hope for good participation. That is the only way to optimize existing programs and to develop recommendations to improve health.

Additional information at:
http://slippke.user.jacobs-university.de/spiro-3/
http://slippke.user.jacobs-university.de/research/projects/expertis-2/

Questions will be answered by:
Prof. Dr. Sonia Lippke | Professor of Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine s.lippke [at] jacobs-university.de | Tel.: +49 421 200-4730