Aging is a disruptive force in many economies and countries worldwide. A curious fact is that there are more walkers and wheelchairs than baby carriages in some parts of Europe (MIT, 2011). There are a growing number of aging persons (European Union, 2010) and displaced workers in the manufacturing industries all across Europe (Manufuture, 2006), the women participation in industry has also increased since the II World War. Work ability (WA) is a dynamic multi-faceted, multi-determined construct, and also an individual characteristic that has been systematically and negatively correlated with age, but systematically and positively correlated with quality of work-life, quality of life, productivity and general well-being (e.g. Gould et al, 2008; Hernandez & Romero, 2010; Jung at al., 2010; Holtermann et al., 2010, Ilmarinen, 2001; Ilmarinen et al., 2005). Studies also show that WA is associated with health, competence, values, work environment and social relations (Gould at al., 2008). The level of WA in the working population can predict both future permanent disability and sick leave absences (Ilmarinen, 2012) and the agreement with clinical diagnosis is good (Eskelinen et al., 1991).
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