Cross-Jurisdiction Comparative Research in Work Disability Prevention: Introduction to the Special Series

The systems that societies construct to support work disability prevention can have powerful effects on both the experiences of people with work disability as well as their health and employment outcomes. Comparative studies between jurisdictions provide an opportunity to gain insights into these system level impacts, by comparing system features, processes and experiences; and by determining if jurisdictional variation affects outcomes. In turn, this can prompt policy and practice reform. Reflecting the diversity of work disability systems globally, there is growing interest in cross-jurisdiction comparative research in the field. This special series presents seven articles addressing important methodological and conceptual aspects of comparative research in work disability prevention, and presents practical examples of how jurisdictions vary and the impact this can have on workers.