Rehabilitation and Ergonomics.

Poirier F, Bedard L, Harvey G, Poitras C, eds. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5N 1A6, The Human Factors Association of Canada, 1989, paperback, 183 p, illus, $40.

The contents of this book were collected during a symposium held at Laval University in Quebec, Canada, in May 1988. Contributors to the symposium represented medical, legal, and humanities specialists from the Faculty of Medicine at Laval University and The Human Factors Association of Canada. The purpose of the symposium and its subsequent transcriptions was to share similarities, differences, and current knowledge between rehabilitation and ergonomics in the workplace, with particular attention given to the return to work of persons with diminished autonomy.

Keeping in mind that all symposiums have introductory speeches and proposed objectives, this book begins by reflecting on the goals of the preparatory authors. from a reader's perspective, the introductory chapter was an unfortunate waste of 27 pages. The ditors divide the next three sections into varied levels of focus, including concepts, complementarity, and the clinical process.

The chapter on concepts deals with a number of psychosocial, legal, and descriptive theories in the development of defining disability and ergonomics. A variety of working models are introduced to define disability and the language of disability in the Canadian work system. Chapter contributors represent a variety of sciences: anatomy, physiology, neurology, psychology, sociology, and economics. It may be the diversity of the book that mires the reader in nonspecific detail of disability and ergonomics and causes the book to read like a literary novel rather than a body of scientific material. Ninety-five pages of text, for example, are supported by a total of 43 references, the majority of which deal with Canadian law, innocuous theories on disability, and models of ergonomics. Research-oriented references are seldom used. The subject matter is treated as a testimonial rather than a well-deserved piece of scientific literature.

Ergonomics and rehabilitation are complementary fields, and, in the section entitled "The Complementarity," this relationship is brought forth. Despite the differences between the two sciences, they share the central goal of functional restoration. The unfortunate trend of supportive research, however, is lacking in this section. The chapter entitled "Rehabilitation and Integration into the Workplace: Roles and Directions of the Quebec Department of Health and Social Services," for example, was devoid of research. Authors such as Harminc in "Working Environment and Rehabilitation of Injured Workers" opted to rely on personal opinion rather than adequate research. In an attempt to explain weaknesses of the current Canadian medical model, Harminc states, "medical models aimed at assessing organic findings and treatment interventions, together with other para-medical assessments, do not fully address the issue of returning the worker to work." This misguided chapter fails to substantiate reasons why the current health care system fails. Futhermore, no adequate explanation beyond author opinion succeeds in providing a better health care approach. Lastly, the purpose of this particular chapter becomes evident only in the last paragraph.

The final section, entitled "The Clinical Process," shines forth as the only recognizable draft of research-oriented literature. A good example is Harvey's work, "Rehabilitation of Handwriting Skills in Persons with Reduced Indepedence for Purposes of Training and Reintegration into the Workplace." Well documented, the article concludes that persons with disabilities must attain a writing speed of approximately 2.41 letters per second and a surface area of 3.69 [cm.sup.3] in order to be competitive and to reintegrate into work or school.

In brief, the content of the book is not suitable for the medical or nonmedical specialist dealing with ergonomics or rehabilitation. Its style is nonscientific, and the book is not appropriately researched. The last section is an exception, but in total this book should not be included in one's research library.

Randy Brown, PT Margate Rehabilitation Center Margate, NJ