Title
Workers' beliefs and expectations affect return to work over 12 months
Author
Heymans, M.W.
de Vet, H.C.W.
Knol, D.L.
Bongers, P.M.
Koes, B.W.
van Mechelen, W.
TNO Kwaliteit van Leven
Publication year
2006
Abstract
Background: Successful management of workers on sick leave due to low back pain depends on the identification by the occupational physician of modifiable prognostic factors in the early phase of sick-leave. The prognostic value of factors which influence the course of low back pain and return to work in occupational health care is unclear. Methods: Secondary data analysis in a cohort of 299 workers on sick leave between 3 and 6 weeks due to low back pain was applied. We investigated the association of a broad set of prognostic indicators related to characteristics of worker, job, low back pain and psychosocial issues on return to work lasting at least 4 weeks (lasting-RTW) and minimally 1 day of first return to work (first-RTW). Relationships were studied using Cox regression analysis and covered a follow-up period of 12 months. The explained variation of the models was also calculated. Results: The median time to return to work using lasting-RTW and first-RTW was 76 and 71 days respectively. In addition to individual analysis of potential predictive factors a backward selection procedure resulted in the following multivariable model: self-predicted timing of return to work, pain intensity, job satisfaction, social support, pain radiation, expectations of treatment succes of the occupational physician. Similar results were found for first-RTW. The explained variance of the multivariate model of lasting-RTW was 18%. Conclusions: Factors concerning the expectations and beliefs of the worker affected the RTW process. Knowledge of these factors by the occupational physician in the early phase of low back pain and sick-leave may contribute to solutions to promote return to work.
Subject
Workplace
Veilig en Gezond Werken
Low back pain
Prognostic model
Occupational health care
Sick-leave
Patients’ expectations
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:0b68aeb4-74ab-4fc5-8437-6028fbc4ba7b
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-006-9058-8
TNO identifier
277865
Source
Journal of occupational rehabilitation
Document type
article