This article deals with the results obtained from 1995 to 1997 by an innovative occupational rehabilitation model for individuals with repetitive strain injury/work related musculoskeletal disorder (RSI/WRMD), developed by the Campinas Occupational Rehabilitation Center under the Brazilian National Institute for Social Security. The study had two objectives: 1) to reconstruct the program as a precondition for evaluation and 2) to evaluate the model's effectiveness in reestablishing the autonomy of individuals with RSI/WRMD. The methodology involved document analysis in order to reconstruct the program's background in terms of problem identification, organizational participation, awareness-raising, staff characteristics and responsibilities, and profile of the clientele. An analysis of 221 patient files provided the basis for constructing an evaluative instrument consisting of different dimensions, variables, and indicators, which was applied to a sample of 47 patient histories prior and subsequent to rehabilitative intervention. High effectiveness was observed in the model, with variations in the different target dimensions.
Rehabilitation; Cumulative Trauma Disorders; Evaluation; Effectiveness
