Table 1 Characteristics of the study population and their responses to return-to-work items (n = 842)

Age (years)

Mean (sd)

56.4 (7.5)

57.6 (7.9)

57.4 (7.8)

Age

 ≤ 55 years

70 (40.9%)

238 (35.5%)

308 (36.6%)

 > 55 years

101 (59.1%)

433 (64.5%)

534 (63.4%)

AF

Yes

83 (48.5%)

287 (42.8%)

370 (43.9%)

IHD

Yes

72 (42.1%)

320 (47.7%)

392 (46.6%)

HVD

Yes

21 (12.3%)

124 (18.5%)

145 (17.2%)

HF

Yes

35 (20.5%)

140 (20.9%)

175 (20.8%)

Comorbidity

Yes

90 (79.6%)

332 (83.0%)

422 (82.3%)

Country of birth

Denmark

166 (97.1%)

631 (94.0%)

797 (94.7%)

Other

5 (2.9%)

40 (6.0%)

45 (5.3%)

Education

Basic

20 (11.8%)

113 (17.0%)

133 (15.9%)

Secondary

81 (47.6%)

347 (52.3%)

428 (51.3%)

Tertiary

49 (28.8%)

97 (14.6%)

146 (17.5%)

Postgraduate

20 (11.8%)

107 (16.1%)

127 (15.2%)

Mean income (EUR)

Mean (sd)

41,600 (14,200)

52,000 (143,400)

49,900 (128,100)

Cohabitation

Alone

45 (27.3%)

136 (21.5%)

181 (22.7%)

With others

120 (72.7%)

498 (78.5%)

618 (77.3%)

Has been offered vocational rehabilitation

No

126 (74.1%)

429 (63.9%)

555 (66.0%)

Yes

30 (17.6%)

118 (17.6%)

148 (17.6%)

Don’t know

14 (8.2%)

124 (18.5%)

138 (16.4%)

Employer has supported return to work

No

62 (36.5%)

227 (34.0%)

289 (34.5%)

Yes

97 (57.1%)

365 (54.6%)

462 (55.1%)

Don't know

11 (6.5%)

76 (11.4%)

87 (10.4%)

Need of vocational counselling

No

127 (74.3%)

564 (84.4%)

691 (82.4%)

Yes

44 (25.7%)

104 (15.6%)

148 (17.6%)

Unmet vocational counselling needs

No

25 (56.8%)

51 (49.0%)

76 (51.4%)

Yes

19 (43.2%)

53 (51.0%)

72 (48.6%)

Mentally ready to return to work

No

120 (74.5%)

431 (67.0%)

551 (68.5%)

Yes

41 (25.5%)

212 (33.0%)

253 (31.5%)

Physically ready to return to work

No

96 (59.6%)

292 (45.4%)

388 (48.3%)

Yes

65 (40.4%)

351 (54.6%)

416 (51.7%)