Return to work behavior of people with disabilities: A multi-method approach

This paper discusses the development of a simulation model to mimic a return to work phenomenon of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) enrollees in the United States. Agent Based and Bayesian Network methods are used within a multi-method simulation model to capture system conditions and enrollee behavior. Bayesian Network is used within an agent to represent enrollee's decision to work. A developed simulation model can be used to investigate many aspects of the return to work phenomenon. The model is used to answer a sample research query that examines how the perception of an enrollee on work incentives related to health improvements, money, and vocational assistance can affect the return to work phenomenon for 18 to 39 year old SSDI enrollees (at enrollment). This is measured as the total percentage of population with benefits terminated for work.

[1]  D. Stapleton,et al.  Longitudinal Statistics on Work Activity and Use of Employment Supports for New Social Security Disability Insurance Beneficiaries , 2011, Social security bulletin.

[2]  T. Bayes.  An essay towards solving a problem in the doctrine of chances , 2003 .

[3]  Armin R. Mikler,et al.  Agent-Based Simulation Tools in Computational Epidemiology , 2004, IICS.

[4]  Michael J. North,et al.  Tutorial on agent-based modelling and simulation , 2005, Proceedings of the Winter Simulation Conference, 2005..

[5]  S. F.R.,et al.  An Essay towards solving a Problem in the Doctrine of Chances . By the late Rev . Mr . Bayes , communicated by Mr . Price , in a letter to , 1999 .

[6]  Daniel Müller,et al.  A framework for modeling payments for ecosystem services with agent-based models, Bayesian belief networks and opinion dynamics models , 2013, Environ. Model. Softw..

[7]  M. A. Best.  Bayesian Approaches to Clinical Trials and Health‐Care Evaluation , 2005 .

[8]  Kirandeep Chahal,et al.  A Generic Framework for Hybrid Simulation in Healthcare , 2016 .

[9]  J. Kennedy,et al.  Return to work: a critical aspect of care coordination for younger dual eligibles. , 2013, Disability and health journal.

[10]  W. David Kelton,et al.  An agent-based simulation of a Tuberculosis epidemic: Understanding the timing of transmission , 2013, 2013 Winter Simulations Conference (WSC).

[11]  Yonatan Ben-Shalom,et al.  Return-to-Work Outcomes Among Social Security Disability Insurance Program Beneficiaries , 2013 .

[12]  Jean P. Hall,et al.  Employment as a health determinant for working-age, dually-eligible people with disabilities. , 2013, Disability and health journal.

[13]  N. M. Steiger,et al.  2005: Tutorial on Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation , 2005 .

[14]  Patrick T. Hester,et al.  Exploration of purpose for multi-method simulation in the context of social phenomena representation , 2013, 2013 Winter Simulations Conference (WSC).

[15]  Patrick T. Hester,et al.  Exploring the Use of Computer Simulations in Unraveling Research and Development Governance Problems , 2012 .

[16]  Reinhard German,et al.  Prospective healthcare decision-making by combined system dynamics, discrete-event and agent-based simulation , 2013, 2013 Winter Simulations Conference (WSC).

[17]  Alan R. Ellis,et al.  Patterns of healthcare use and employment among people with disabilities. , 2013, Disability and health journal.

[18]  J. Cain.  Planning improvements in natural resource management. Guidelines for using Bayesian networks to support the planning and management of development programmes in the water sector and beyond , 2001 .

[19]  J. Kilgour.  The Social Security Disability Insurance Program , 2014 .

[20]  Ray J. Paul,et al.  Simulation modelling in healthcare: reviewing legacies and investigating futures , 2007, J. Oper. Res. Soc..

[21]  Bradley P. Carlin,et al.  Bayesian Adaptive Methods for Clinical Trials , 2010 .

[22]  J. Kregel.  Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program: Current program results document the program's ability to improve employment outcomes, reduce dependence on benefits,and generate cost savings for SSA , 2012 .

[23]  Prakash P. Shenoy,et al.  A causal mapping approach to constructing Bayesian networks , 2004, Decis. Support Syst..

[24]  Navonil Mustafee,et al.  Applications of simulation within the healthcare context , 2010, J. Oper. Res. Soc..

[25]  G. Livermore,et al.  EmploymentRelated Outcomes of a Recent Cohort of Work Incentives Planning and Assistance WIPA Program Enrollees , 2011 .

[26]  Dawn Dowding,et al.  Best Practices for Mixed Methods Research in the Health Sciences John W. Creswell, Ann Carroll Klassen, Vicki L. Plano Clark, Katherine Clegg Smith for the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research; Qualitative Methods Overview Jo Moriarty , 2013 .

[27]  G. Livermore,et al.  Health care costs are a key driver of growth in federal and state assistance to working-age people with disabilities. , 2011, Health affairs.