[Need for Information about Medical Rehabilitation of Persons with German Pension Insurance: a Written Survey].

AIM: In order to acquire target group-specific information on rehabilitation for members of the German pension insurance, they were asked about their ideas about medical rehabilitation and desired information regarding subjects and kind of information transfer.

METHOD: The core of the project was a written survey of members of the German pension insurance. N=600 insured people were invited to participate in the study. The questionnaire was developed in a qualitative pre-study.

RESULTS: N=196 questionnaires were evaluated. Recovery of working ability was mentioned by most persons as the aim of medical rehabilitation. The most common idea regarding indication for rehabilitation was a specific operation. Physiotherapy was most often considered as therapy during medical rehabilitation. Information about formal steps, realistic aims and rehabilitation clinics were important. A conversation with their physician, written information material and a website were the preferred information pathways. Two-thirds of participants thought that information about medical rehabilitation was important even though they had no rehabilitation indication at the time of survey.

CONCLUSION: The identified target-related information needs can be considered in a need-oriented development of information material. These can contribute to an informed decision for members of the German pension insurance for or against medical rehabilitation or an application for rehabilitation. Moreover, patient-oriented information can contribute to more successful rehabilitation participation, higher satisfaction with and a better rating of medical rehabilitation.