From: Medico-legal reasoning in disability assessment: A focus group and validation study
 | Country | Total% | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grounds | Norw N = 13 | Belg N = 14 | Neth N = 10 | Slov N = 10 | Â |
1 A condition of damaged health can be so severe that any form of work is impossible | 12 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 97,9% |
2 A condition of damaged health can be severe to an extent that it precludes from some work but not all work | 13 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 100% |
3 Disability is characterised by a restriction of functional capacities | 13 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 91,5% |
4 Capacity for work represents the ability to perform jobs | 12 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 91,5% |
5 Advanced age is no reason for disability in itself, but can be a reason to accept restrictions in activities | 11 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 85,1% |
6 Findings (complaints, symptoms etc) have to be plausible in order to be taken into account in the conclusion | 12 | 10* | 10 | 9 | 87,2% |
7 Findings have to be consistent in order to be taken into account in the conclusion | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 83,0% |
8 If restrictions of functional capacities are to be taken into account, they must not solely be explained by other than medical factors, notably lack of motivation or opportunity to function on the labour market | 13 | 12* | 10 | 10 | 95,7% |
9 In order to determine a claimant's functional capacities his personal experience is a source of information | 12 | 12 | 10 | 3*** | 80,4% |
10 In order to determine a claimant's functional capacities the medical diagnosis is a source of information | 10 | 14* | 9 | 5** | 80,9% |
11 In order to determine a claimant's functional capacities the medication is a source of information | 8 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 78,7% |
12 Disability can be accepted as permanent when all treatment options have been tried | 9 | 5** | 6 | 10** | 63,8% |
13 The claimant has the duty to try possibilities for treatment, rehabilitation and/or work resumption when these exist | 12 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 83,0% |
14 Tramadol (an opiate) can cause a lack of alertness | 10 | 14* | 8 | 7 | 83,0% |
15 Heavy lifting, carrying and the like are well known risk factors for low back pain and should be avoided in the work of people who suffer from low back pain | 8 | 12 | 4* | 9 | 70,2% |
16 Chronic low back pain is tiring and may lead to restriction of energetic activities | 10 | 10 | 4* | 9 | 70,2% |
17 Pathologic damage of back and knee make complaints of back and knee plausible | 8 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 76,6% |
Total grounds 1–5 (Health condition of claimant) | 61 | 66 | 45 | 47 | 93,2% |
Total grounds 6–11 (Process of evaluation) | 64 | 70 | 59 | 44 | 84,0% |
Ground 12 (Time perspective) | 9 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 63,8% |
Ground 13 (Obligation of claimant) | 12 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 83,0% |
Ground 14–17 (Medical evidence) | 36 | 48 | 24 | 33 | 75,0% |
Agreement in total with all grounds | 82,4% | 84,0% | 84,1% | 82,9% | 83,4% |