​This book addresses the developing field of Work Disability Prevention. Work disability does not only involve occupational disorders originating from the work or at the workplace, but addresses work absenteeism originating from any disorder or accident. This topic has become of primary importance due to the huge compensation costs and health issues involved. For employers it is a unique burden and in many countries compensation is not even linked to the cause of the disorder. In the past twenty years, studies have accumulated which emphasize the social causes of work disability. Governments and NGOs such as the World Bank, the International Labor Organization, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development have produced alarming reports on the extent of this problem for developed and developing countries. However, no comprehensive book is presently available to help them address this emerging field where new knowledge should induce new ways of management.​

This scholarly handbook covers all aspects of people with disabilities entering the workplace, including the legal aspects, transitions, types, and levels of employments, the impact of different disabilities, and the consideration of the intersection of disability with other identities such as gender and ethnicity. Comprehensive in scope, chapters look beyond organizational strategies that accommodate an employee’s disability and use case studies to highlight important issues and the individual’s perspective. The handbook concludes with a reflection on the work included in the book, what was not included and why, and makes recommendations for future disability research. Marking a major contribution to the study of workplace diversity and bringing together academics from various disciplines and global regions, this handbook covers a truly broad and diverse mix of approaches, theories, and models.

This work presents a summary of research evidence on links between work, health and disability. Across two sections it summarizes updated knowledge on adverse effects of distinct occupational hazards, and it covers concerns with employment opportunities or restrictions. The handbook delivers an overview of material and psychosocial factors as occupational hazards on working people’s physical or mental health that may result in functional impairment and disability. This knowledge can be instrumental in strengthening efforts of professionals and other stakeholders to promote health-conducive working conditions and prevent work-related disability risks. It also covers concerns with employment opportunities or restrictions of persons with physical or mental health problems and disability. This field of interdisciplinary research has grown with a broad range of solid new findings that can have favorable impact on work disability prevention and the practice of medical and vocational rehabilitation. Prominent experts discuss this evidence for major manifestations of physical and mental health problems and disabilities. As a further innovative feature, this handbook integrates biomedical, psychological, and sociological knowledge on major aspects of the links between work, health and disability. It is therefore of interest to students and professionals in related disciplines, as well as for stakeholders involved in the prevention of work disability and rehabilitation into paid work. In times of an increasingly aging work force with elevated risks of reduced health and work functioning, this knowledge can contribute to turning the threats associated with disability into opportunities. This handbook supports the overall aim of enabling persons with (chronic) health problems and disability to participate in work and social life.

This path-breaking international handbook of disability studies signals the emergence of a vital new area of scholarship, social policy and activism. Drawing on the insights of disability scholars around the world and the creative advice of an international editorial board, the book engages the reader in the critical issues and debates framing disability studies and places them in an historical and cultural context. Five years in the making, this one volume summarizes the ongoing discourse ranging across continents and traditional academic disciplines. To provide insight and perspective, the volume is divided into three sections: The shaping of disability studies as a field; experiencing disability; and, disability in context. Each section, written by world class figures, consists of original chapters designed to map the field and explore the key conceptual, theoretical, methodological, practice and policy issues that constitute the field. Each chapter provides a critical review of an area, positions and literature and an agenda for future research and practice. The handbook answers the need expressed by the disability community for a thought provoking, interdisciplinary, international examination of the vibrant field of disability studies. The book will be of interest to disabled people, scholars, policy makers and activists alike. The book aims to define the existing field, stimulate future debate, encourage respectful discourse between different interest groups and move the field a step forward.

As work is recognized as beneficial to people's well-being, its absence is being considered in greater detail. Increasingly, work disability is being understood as a public health issue, and work disability prevention is gaining strength as an aspect of occupational health.The Handbook of Work Disability overviews this emerging field in accessible and practical fashion. This timely volume offers current theory for understanding the determinants of work disability (regardless of illness or injury that keeps individuals from the workplace), and a template for interventions that benefit both patient and other stakeholders. Experts across multiple fields examine the lives of work disabled patients, analyze the societal and workplace burden of work disability, and review bedrock concepts of the disability and its prevention. Featuring assessment tools, evidence-based intervention strategies, and insights into disorder-specific populations, this is information useful to the practicing clinician, the researcher, and the trainee. Included in the Handbook: Pain, chronicity, and disability.Measuring outcomes in work disability prevention.The influence of care providers on work disability. Psychosocial factors for disability and return to work.Core components of return-to-work interventions.Plus issue-specific chapters on low back pain, TBI, mental illness, and cancer. The Handbook of Work Disability is a definitive reference for psychologists, therapists, and rehabilitation professionals, as well as administrators, researchers, and students

This authoritative handbook reviews the breadth of current knowledge about developmental disabilities: neuroscientific and genetic foundations; the impact on health, learning, and behavior; and effective educational and clinical practices. Leading authorities analyze what works in intervening with diverse children and families, from infancy through the school years and the transition to adulthood. Chapters present established and emerging approaches to promoting communication and language abilities, academic skills, positive social relationships, and vocational and independent living skills. Current practices in positive behavior support are discussed, as are strategies for supporting family adaptation and resilience.

This Handbook represents the first comprehensive collection of research on communication and people with disabilities. The editors have brought together original contributions focusing on the identity, social, and relationship adjustments faced by people with disabilities and those with whom they relate. Essays report on topics across the communication spectrum--interpersonal and relationship issues, people with disabilities in organizational settings, disability and culture, media and technologies, communication issues as they impact specific types of disabilities--and establish a future agenda for communication and disability research. Each chapter provides a state-of-the-art literature review, practical applications of the material, and keywords and discussion questions to facilitate classroom use. In providing an outlet for current research on communication and disability issues, this unique collection contributes to the lives of people with and without disabilities, helping them to improve their own communication and relationships. Intended for readers in communication, psychology, sociology, rehabilitation, social work, special education, gerontology, and related disciplines, this handbook is certain to augment further theory and research, as well as offer insights for both personal and professional relationships.