OBJECTIVE: To investigate the outcome of a brief vocational-oriented intervention aiming to motivate disability pensioners with back pain to return to work, and to evaluate prognostic factors for having entered a return to work process during the following year. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. SUBJECTS:Participants (n = 89) (mean age 49 years, 65% women) who had received disability pension for more than one year were randomized into an intervention group (education, reassurance, motivation, vocational counselling, n = 45) and a control group (n = 44). METHODS: Primary outcome measures were return to work or having entered a return to work process. Secondary outcome measures were life satisfaction, disability, fear avoidance behaviour and expectancy. RESULTS: The intervention had no statistically significant effect on return to work or having entered a return to work process at 1-year follow-up. Twice as many in the intervention group (n = 10, 22%) had entered a return to work process compared with the controls (n = 5, 11%). The number needed to treat was 9.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.4, Inf). Only minor differences in secondary outcome measures were demonstrated. Positive expectancy, better physical performance and less pain were related to return to work. CONCLUSION: The effort of returning disability pensioners to work by a brief vocational-oriented intervention may be of clinical relevance. The effect needs to be explored further in larger samples of disability pensioners.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the outcome of a brief vocational-oriented intervention aiming to motivate disability pensioners with back pain to return to work, and to evaluate prognostic factors for having entered a return to work process during the following year. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. SUBJECTS:Participants (n = 89) (mean age 49 years, 65% women) who had received disability pension for more than one year were randomized into an intervention group (education, reassurance, motivation, vocational counselling, n = 45) and a control group (n = 44). METHODS: Primary outcome measures were return to work or having entered a return to work process. Secondary outcome measures were life satisfaction, disability, fear avoidance behaviour and expectancy. RESULTS: The intervention had no statistically significant effect on return to work or having entered a return to work process at 1-year follow-up. Twice as many in the intervention group (n = 10, 22%) had entered a return to work process compared with the controls (n = 5, 11%). The number needed to treat was 9.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.4, Inf). Only minor differences in secondary outcome measures were demonstrated. Positive expectancy, better physical performance and less pain were related to return to work. CONCLUSION: The effort of returning disability pensioners to work by a brief vocational-oriented intervention may be of clinical relevance. The effect needs to be explored further in larger samples of disability pensioners.
Authors: Nicole Vogel; Stefan Schandelmaier; Thomas Zumbrunn; Shanil Ebrahim; Wout El de Boer; Jason W Busse; Regina Kunz Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2017-03-30
Authors: Myrthe van Vilsteren; Sandra H van Oostrom; Henrica C W de Vet; Renée-Louise Franche; Cécile R L Boot; Johannes R Anema Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2015-10-05
Authors: B Cougot; A Petit; C Paget; C Roedlich; G Fleury-Bahi; M Fouquet; P Menu; C Dubois; C Geraut; Y Roquelaure; D Tripodi Journal: J Occup Med Toxicol Date: 2015-10-29 Impact factor: 2.646
Authors: Silje Endresen Reme; Astrid Louise Grasdal; Camilla Løvvik; Stein Atle Lie; Simon Øverland Journal: Occup Environ Med Date: 2015-08-06 Impact factor: 4.402