Work (Re)integration Following a Chronic Illness Diagnosis in Romania: What Role Do Nongovernmental Organizations Play in the Process?
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.46841/RCV.2026.01.01Mots-clés :
chronic disease, work (re)integration, nongovernmental organizations, employers, health professionalsRésumé
A substantial proportion of the workers diagnosed with chronic diseases try to find employment or return to work after treatment. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are key actors in this process of work (re)integration alongside other stakeholders, yet their role has been little studied across countries, and almost not at all in Romania. An in-depth exploration of how NGOs are involved in this process was done through semi-structured interviews with eleven officials of Romanian NGOs. Thematic analysis was employed to understand their views regarding: 1) their role in the process; barriers and facilitators for 2) work (re)integration of chronically ill people and regarding 3) their involvement in the process; 4) collaboration with other stakeholders. The results show NGOs play a significant yet informal and irregular role in supporting these people to find or maintain work, mainly due to the lack of a policy framework. Romanian NGOs face legal, structural, and cultural challenges.
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