People with chronic respiratory disease have shortened work life, their disease is associated with greater work disability and they are at greater risk of being unemployed. Lower employment rates and higher sickness absence is expensive for the community and leads to financial as well as social consequences for the individual.

There is a lack of data on factors that can predict sickness absence and disability in patients with pulmonary disease. We therefore want to study a group of people with COPD and asthma referred to our clinic. The study will investigate relationships between sickness absence and exercise capacity, job-related factors, disease severity, self-efficacy, health related quality of life and subjective health complaints.

Inclusion Criteria:

• chronic pulmonary disease
• employed
• periods of sickness absence in the year prior to admittance

Exclusion Criteria:

• lack of ability to complete the rehabilitation program