Objective

To study the effects on sick leave from an early multidisciplinary assessment at a primary health care centre. Design. Randomized controlled trial.

Setting

Patients who saw GPs at a primary health care centre in mid-Sweden and asked for a sickness certificate for psychiatric or musculoskeletal diagnoses were invited to participate. Patients included were sick-listed for less than four weeks; 33 patients were randomized either to an assessment within a week by a physiotherapist, a psychotherapist, and an occupational therapist or to "standard care". The therapists used methods and tools they normally use in their clinical work.

Main outcome measure

Proportion of patients still sick-listed three months after randomization, total and net days on sick leave, and proportion who were on part-time sick leave.

Results

At follow-up after three months, in contrast to the pre-trial hypothesis, there was a trend toward a higher proportion of patients still sick-listed in the intervention group (7/18) as compared with the control group (3/15). The intervention group also had significantly longer sick-listing periods (mean 58 days) than the control group (mean 36 days) (p = 0.038). The proportion of patients who were part time sick-listed was significantly higher in the intervention group (10/18) than in the control group (2/15) (p = 0.027).

Conclusions

In this study an early multidisciplinary assessment was associated with longer periods on sick leave and more individuals on part-time sick leave.

Background: Many physicians in Sweden, as well as in other countries, find the matter of certification of sickness absence (COSA) particularly burdensome. The issuing of COSAs has also been perceived as a work-environment problem among physicians. Among general practitioners (GPs) are the highest proportion of physicians in Sweden who experience difficulties with COSA. Swedish authorities have created several initiatives, by changing the social security system, to improve the rehabilitation of people who are ill and decrease the number of days of sick leave used. The aim of this study was to describe how GPs in Sweden perceive their work with COSA after these changes. Methods: A descriptive design with a qualitative, inductive focus-group discussion (FGD) approach was used. Results: Four categories emerged from the analysis of FGDs with GPs in Sweden: 1) Physicians' difficulties in their professional role; 2) Collaboration with other professionals facilitates the COSA; 3) Physicians' approach in relation to the patient; 4) An easier COSA process. Conclusions: Swedish GPs still perceived COSA to be a burdensome task. However, system changes in recent years have facilitated work related to COSA. Cooperation with other professionals on COSA was perceived positively.

Objective: Mental illness and chronic pain are common reasons for long-term sick leave, typically more so for women. This study investigated the effects on return to work of 2 vocational rehabilitation programmes. Methods: In this randomized controlled study, 308 women were allocated to treatment with acceptance and commitment therapy, to multidisciplinary assessment and individualized rehabilitation interventions, or to a control group. Return-to-work at 12 months was assessed as: (i) returning to health insurance; (ii) number of reimbursed health insurance days during follow-up; (iii) self-reported change in working hours; (iv) a composite measure of self-reported change in work-related engagement. Results: The mean age of the Swedish study population was 48.5 years (standard deviation (SD) 6.3 years) and the mean time on sick leave 7.5 years (SD 3.2 years). There were no significant differences in reimbursed days or returning to the health insurance at 12 months. The multidisciplinary assessment and individualized rehabilitation interventions group, compared with control, reported a significant increase in working hours per week, as well as a significant increase in work-related engagement. Conclusion: Multidisciplinary assessments and individual rehabilitation interventions may improve the chance of return-to-work in women with long-term sick leave due to pain condition or mental illness.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between motivation for return to work and actual return to work, or increased employability among people on long-term sick leave.

Materials and methods: Data by responses to questionnaires was collected from 227 people on long-term sick leave (mean = 7.9 years) due to pain syndrome or mild to moderate mental health conditions who had participated in a vocational rehabilitation intervention. The participants’ motivation for return to work was measured at baseline. At 12-month follow-up, change in the type of reimbursement between baseline and at present was assessed and used to categorise outcomes as: “decreased work and employability”, “unchanged”, “increased employability”, and “increased work”. Associations between baseline motivation and return to work outcome were analysed using logistic and multinomial regression models.

Results: Motivation for return to work at baseline was associated with return to work or increased employability at 12-month follow-up in the logistic regression model adjusting for potential confounders (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.25–4.78).

Conclusions: The results suggest that motivation for return to work at baseline was associated with actual chances of return to work or increased employability in people on long-term sick leave due to pain syndrome or mild to moderate mental health conditions.

• Implication for rehabilitation

• High motivation for return to work seems to increase the chances of actual return to work or increased employability in people on sick leave due to pain syndrome or mild to moderate mental health conditions.

• The potential impact of motivation for return to work is suggested to be highlighted in vocational rehabilitation.

• Rehabilitation professionals are recommended to recognise and take into consideration the patient’s stated motivation for return to work.

• Rehabilitation professionals should be aware of that the patient’s motivation for return to work might have an impact on the outcome of vocational rehabilitation.