[Health management in small and medium-sized enterprises: results of a representative survey]. / Gesundheitsmanagement in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen - Ergebnisse einer repräsentativen Unternehmensbefragung.

PURPOSE: The prevalence of workplace health promotion in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in Germany as well as age management were investigated. METHODS: Representative data were collected by computer assisted telephone interviews in 1 441 SME (1-250 employees) in 7 regions of Germany. RESULTS: One-third of the SME have a system of health promotion. Disability management is known only in one third of the enterprises, another third of them knew the legal obligations. About half of the enterprises have a system to collect data about health-related absenteeism in business. Effects caused by the demographic change in Germany are feared by nearly 50% of the enterprises, but only 20% have taken action against it. The implementation of work health promotion is higher in enterprises with more employees. CONCLUSION: The study shows that workplace health promotion (WHP) in German small and medium-sized enterprises is not yet installed to a wide extent. The smaller the enterprises the less WHP is found. The results are verified by similar studies. Small and medium-sized enterprises have a need for consultation in cases of illness or health prevention. But there is not yet an organised structure available for getting advice. The study is the basis for a national project "Gesunde Arbeit", which will establish these consulting structures.

[Perspectives in rehabilitation. General position paper on future trends and challenges in rehabilitation by the Health Advisory Board of the German Federal Association for Rehabilitation]. / Perspektiven der Rehabilitation. Ein Positionspapier des Arztlichen Sachverständigenrates der Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft f ü r Rehabilitation (BAR) zur Weiterentwicklung der Rehabilitation.

The Health Advisory Board of the German Federal Association for Rehabilitation (BAR) describes future trends and challenges in rehabilitation as deriving from the socio-demographic development in Germany and the structural characteristics of its Social and Health Care Insurance System. The focus is on elder employees to sustain and regenerate their capacity for employment, on people which are no longer employed to activate their autonomy and ability for self-support, and on rehabilitation as a holistic and integrative process extending through the social security and health insurances. There is an urgent need and a real chance to benefit from already existing scientific findings more frequently and to integrate them effectively into adequate further education and training programmes for professionals. Finally the conclusion summarises 8 theses to facilitate rehabilitation as an integral and essential part of the German social security and health sector. This paper was fully accredited by the members of the BAR Managing Board.