Ss44 Stay-at-Work for Workers With Chronic Pain Conditions

With expected increased life expectancy and older retirement age, most industrialized countries face a significant challenge in keeping their work force healthy and productive. Chronic pain conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) significantly contribute to the challenge, as the risk of increase with age. Proactive solutions are needed if workers are to stay at work for as long as they wish or need to. A growing body of evidence demonstrates the importance of a shift in focus from return-to-work to stay-at-work approaches, and that preventive practices can have substantial impacts on continued work participation in people with chronic pain. This session will (a) review the concept of staying at work and how if differs from return to work; (b) describe worker experiences of going to work with chronic pain and what makes them continue to work; (c) present workplace stakeholders’ experiences of retaining workers with chronic pain; (d) present examples of healthcare providers’ role in staying at work; and (e) legislative and policy implications.