Disability and rehabilitation in occupational skin disorders

Disability and rehabilitation in occupational skin disorders. Two important issues should be analyzed in the professional field: disability and rehabilitation. Disability (despite the efforts of interpretation this term remains ambiguous) should not be comparable to disease according to a modern concept. Medical assistance is needed by a disabled person only in the acute phase of the disease: once healed, according to socio-educational-vocational parameters, residual skills will be evaluated and the disabled person will be fully reinstated into society and into the world of work. Also in the case where the disability results from chronic diseases, such as diabetes or cardiopathy, it will not be considered the disease but its social consequences. A modern view of the problem implies that the legislation on disability is not based on stereotyped principles, but is suitable to the bio-social needs of each disabled person. Rehabilitation is medical, social and also vocational. The first step deals with diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis. From a dermatologic point of view prophylaxis, particularly from chemical noxae, uses standardized principles and guidelines. The goal of the social rehabilitation is to reintegrate disabled persons into society and into the world of work, with the same rights and duties as all other persons. The educational-vocational rehabilitation phase takes into account the residual abilities of the disabled, that will be helped in the choice of new job by multidisciplinary teams, according to age, interests and motivations.