Identifying factors relevant in the assessment of return-to-work efforts in employees on long-term sickness absence due to chronic low back pain: a focus group study

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Wout E de Boer¹  Anna Muijzer²  Sandra Brouwer²  Johan W Groothoff²  Jan H Geertzen³ 

[1] Academy of Swiss Insurance Medicine, University Medical Centre, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland;Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands;Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Rehabilitation, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands;

关键词: Focus Group;    Sickness Absence;    Work Ability;    Disability Benefit;    Focus Group Study;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-12-77

 received in 2011-07-15, accepted in 2012-01-24,  发布年份 2012

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundEfforts undertaken during the return to work (RTW) process need to be sufficient to prevent unnecessary applications for disability benefits. The purpose of this study was to identify factors relevant to RTW Effort Sufficiency (RTW-ES) in cases of sick-listed employees with chronic low back pain (CLBP).MethodsUsing focus groups consisting of Labor Experts (LE's) working at the Dutch Social Insurance Institute, arguments and underlying grounds relevant to the assessment of RTW-ES were investigated. Factors were collected and categorized using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF model).ResultsTwo focus groups yielded 19 factors, of which 12 are categorized in the ICF model under activities (e.g. functional capacity) and in the personal (e.g. age, tenure) and environmental domain (e.g. employer-employee relationship). The remaining 7 factors are categorized under intervention, job accommodation and measures.ConclusionsThis focus group study shows that 19 factors may be relevant to RTW-ES in sick-listed employees with CLBP. Providing these results to professionals assessing RTW-ES might contribute to a more transparent and systematic approach. Considering the importance of the quality of the RTW process, optimizing the RTW-ES assessment is essential.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Muijzer et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2012