Title
A qualitative study into the perspectives of clients on shared decision-making as a method to support return to work
Author
Vooijs, M.
Hazelzet, A.M.
van Kesteren, N.M.C.
Verhoef, H.
Otten, W.
Publication year
2022
Abstract
Background: Being able to participate in work is an important determinant of health. Therefore, reintegration professionals provide support to clients to return to work (RTW). Since RTW has a significant impact on a client's life, it is preferred that clients are involved in the decision-making process of RTW. A method to do so, is shared decision-making (SDM), involving the following steps: collaborating as a team, explaining clients that they can be part of the decision-making process, setting a shared goal, presenting and discussing choice options, and making a shared decision. Objective: We explored how clients experience and prefer these SDM steps in their current and ideal interaction with professionals. Methods: We performed semi-structured interviews with fourteen clients receiving support in their RTW process from four different municipalities. Results: Clients emphasised the importance of collaborating as team. None of the clients reported having been told that they could be part of the decision-making process, or discussed a shared goal with a professional, which they would prefer. Some clients were presented choice options. When choice options were discussed, frequently only the negative aspects of choice options were explained by the professional. A great number of clients experienced that shared decisions were made, but based this on the shared effort made by the client and professional to RTW. Conclusions: Clients generally wish to cooperate and participate in the decision-making process, but their ability to do so is limited due to not being fully involved in the SDM steps.
Subject
Self-management
Autonomy
Client participation
Employment
Evidence-based
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:e1ac9149-7a8f-438b-b249-1701d43dca6a
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3233/wor-211023
TNO identifier
979391
Source
Work, Epub 3 Oct
Document type
article