JBI Database of Systematic Reviews & Implementation Reports 2015;13(12):59-69 doi: 10.11124/jbisrir-2015-2493 Page 59 Perceived barriers to and facilitators of labor market engagement for individuals with chronic physical illness in their experience with disability policy: a systematic review of qualitative evidence protocol Sandra Small 1 Catherine de Boer 2 Michelle Swab 3 1. School of Nursing, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada 2. School of Social Work, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada 3. Health Sciences Library, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada Center conducting review Memorial University of Newfoundland and Queen’s Joanna Briggs Collaboration for Patient Safety: a Collaborating Center of the Joanna Briggs Institute; Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada Corresponding author: Sandra Small ssmall@mun.ca Review question / objective Two research questions will be addressed. These are, from the perspective of individuals with chronic physical illness: (1) what are the barriers in disability policies with respect to labor market engagement? (2) what are perceived facilitators in disability policies with respect to labor market engagement? The objective of this review is to identify and synthesize the best available evidence regarding barriers and facilitators that exist at the policy level with respect to labor market engagement (i.e. gaining and maintaining employment), from the perspective of individuals with chronic physical illness. Background According to the World Health Organization, over one billion people or about 15% of the world’s population live with a disability, 1 including an estimated 386 million of the world’s working-age population. 2 Among the 34 developed and emerging countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a global organization that promotes policies to “improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world”, 3(para1) these figures translate into 14% of the working-age population living with a disability. 4 It is projected that these numbers will continue to rise due to an aging population, increased longevity and a global increase in chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases. 1 Despite research indicating that