A Scoping Review of Vocational Rehabilitation Programs for People with Acquired Physical Disabilities.

Purpose: Well-designed vocational rehabilitation programs (VRPs) are needed to ensure that people with acquired physical disabilities (PAPD) receive the optimal support to return to work. The aim of our scoping review was to summarize the literature on both international and local VRPs that support...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation p. 1
Autores principales: Mohamad, Nizar B. Z., Tan, Gerald Y. Q., Lim, Shaun A. Y., Joe, Samuel, Asano, Miho
Formato: Journal Article
Publicado: Springer Nature Aug2025
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=187307465&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 187307465
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        10530487
        JOR
      jtl: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation
      issn: 10530487
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: Aug2025
      pid: 237
      pub: Springer Nature
      place: New York, New York
    artinfo:
      ui:
        187307465
        10.1007/s10926-025-10322-2
        187307465
      ppf: 1
      formats:
        fmt:
          @attributes:
            type: P
      tig:
        atl: A Scoping Review of Vocational Rehabilitation Programs for People with Acquired Physical Disabilities.
      aug:
        au:
          Mohamad, Nizar B. Z.
          Tan, Gerald Y. Q.
          Lim, Shaun A. Y.
          Joe, Samuel
          Asano, Miho
        affil: Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore
      sug:
      ab: Purpose: Well-designed vocational rehabilitation programs (VRPs) are needed to ensure that people with acquired physical disabilities (PAPD) receive the optimal support to return to work. The aim of our scoping review was to summarize the literature on both international and local VRPs that support PAPD to return to work.We conducted a scoping review based on Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. We searched databases (PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) throughout March 2023. To be included, studies must have been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, be available in the English language, and describe a VRP for PAPD. We added a grey literature search to better understand local VRPs. We summarized the VRPs’ characteristics and services narratively.We screened 2894 citations and included 20 in our review. These 20 articles discussed 16 VRPs. We identified 46 unique service components and categorized them into six domains – <italic>vocational, physical, financial, social, psychological, and others</italic>. The vocational domain comprised the majority of components identified (<italic>n</italic> = 18, 40%). However, no VRPs were exactly alike.VRPs facilitate PAPD to return to work via a range of services. Our review is useful for vocational rehabilitation providers to enhance existing VRPs or to design new ones. We recommend that VRPs offer a set of standardized services with the option of expanding services based on emerging needs of service users. Our scoping review provides a valuable evidence synthesis of the services offered within the field of vocational rehabilitation. Future research to better understand the effectiveness of VRPs is warranted.Methods: Well-designed vocational rehabilitation programs (VRPs) are needed to ensure that people with acquired physical disabilities (PAPD) receive the optimal support to return to work. The aim of our scoping review was to summarize the literature on both international and local VRPs that support PAPD to return to work.We conducted a scoping review based on Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. We searched databases (PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) throughout March 2023. To be included, studies must have been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, be available in the English language, and describe a VRP for PAPD. We added a grey literature search to better understand local VRPs. We summarized the VRPs’ characteristics and services narratively.We screened 2894 citations and included 20 in our review. These 20 articles discussed 16 VRPs. We identified 46 unique service components and categorized them into six domains – <italic>vocational, physical, financial, social, psychological, and others</italic>. The vocational domain comprised the majority of components identified (<italic>n</italic> = 18, 40%). However, no VRPs were exactly alike.VRPs facilitate PAPD to return to work via a range of services. Our review is useful for vocational rehabilitation providers to enhance existing VRPs or to design new ones. We recommend that VRPs offer a set of standardized services with the option of expanding services based on emerging needs of service users. Our scoping review provides a valuable evidence synthesis of the services offered within the field of vocational rehabilitation. Future research to better understand the effectiveness of VRPs is warranted.Results: Well-designed vocational rehabilitation programs (VRPs) are needed to ensure that people with acquired physical disabilities (PAPD) receive the optimal support to return to work. The aim of our scoping review was to summarize the literature on both international and local VRPs that support PAPD to return to work.We conducted a scoping review based on Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. We searched databases (PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) throughout March 2023. To be included, studies must have been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, be available in the English language, and describe a VRP for PAPD. We added a grey literature search to better understand local VRPs. We summarized the VRPs’ characteristics and services narratively.We screened 2894 citations and included 20 in our review. These 20 articles discussed 16 VRPs. We identified 46 unique service components and categorized them into six domains – <italic>vocational, physical, financial, social, psychological, and others</italic>. The vocational domain comprised the majority of components identified (<italic>n</italic> = 18, 40%). However, no VRPs were exactly alike.VRPs facilitate PAPD to return to work via a range of services. Our review is useful for vocational rehabilitation providers to enhance existing VRPs or to design new ones. We recommend that VRPs offer a set of standardized services with the option of expanding services based on emerging needs of service users. Our scoping review provides a valuable evidence synthesis of the services offered within the field of vocational rehabilitation. Future research to better understand the effectiveness of VRPs is warranted.Conclusion: Well-designed vocational rehabilitation programs (VRPs) are needed to ensure that people with acquired physical disabilities (PAPD) receive the optimal support to return to work. The aim of our scoping review was to summarize the literature on both international and local VRPs that support PAPD to return to work.We conducted a scoping review based on Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. We searched databases (PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) throughout March 2023. To be included, studies must have been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, be available in the English language, and describe a VRP for PAPD. We added a grey literature search to better understand local VRPs. We summarized the VRPs’ characteristics and services narratively.We screened 2894 citations and included 20 in our review. These 20 articles discussed 16 VRPs. We identified 46 unique service components and categorized them into six domains – <italic>vocational, physical, financial, social, psychological, and others</italic>. The vocational domain comprised the majority of components identified (<italic>n</italic> = 18, 40%). However, no VRPs were exactly alike.VRPs facilitate PAPD to return to work via a range of services. Our review is useful for vocational rehabilitation providers to enhance existing VRPs or to design new ones. We recommend that VRPs offer a set of standardized services with the option of expanding services based on emerging needs of service users. Our scoping review provides a valuable evidence synthesis of the services offered within the field of vocational rehabilitation. Future research to better understand the effectiveness of VRPs is warranted.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N