Independent medical evaluation of general practitioners' follow-up of sick-listed patients: a cross-sectional study in Norway

The influence of socio-demographic and clinical factors on sick leave and return to work after open-heart surgery: a nationwide registry-based cohort study

AIMS

To estimate sick leave (SL) duration after first-time elective open-heart surgery and identify factors contributing to increased SL.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A retrospective nationwide cohort study combined data from the Norwegian Register for Cardiac Surgery and SL data from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administrations. All able-bodied adults who underwent first-time elective open-heart surgery in Norway between 2012 and 2021 were followed until 1 year after surgery. The impact of socio-demographic and clinical factors on SL after surgery was analysed using logistic regression and odds ratios. Of 5456 patients, 1643 (30.1%), 1798 (33.0%), 971 (17.8%), 1035 (18.9%), and 9 (0.2%) had SL of <3, 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 months, and 1 year, respectively. SL >6 months was associated with female gender, primary education only, and average annual income. Post-operative stroke, post-operative renal failure, New York Heart Association Functional Classification system (NYHA) score >3, earlier myocardial infarction, and diabetes mellitus increased the odds of SL >6 months.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that socio-demographic and clinical factors impact SL after first-time elective open-heart surgery. Patients who experience a stroke or develop renal failure after surgery have the highest odds of SL >6 months. Females and patients with low education levels, earlier myocardial infarction, or NYHA scores III-IV have a two-fold chance of SL >6 months. The findings allow for future investigations of pre- and post-surgery interventions that can most effectively reduce SL and aid return to work.

What is the effect of independent medical evaluation on days on sickness benefits for long-term sick listed employees in Norway? A pragmatic randomised controlled trial, the NIME-trial

Background

Independent medical evaluations are used to evaluate degree and reason for work disability, uncertainty around the functional status, and/or the employee’s rehabilitation potential in several jurisdictions, but not in Norway. The main aim of this trial was to test the return to work effect of independent medical evaluation (IME) (summoning and consultation) compared to treatment as usual (TAU) in Norway, for workers who have been on continuous sick leave for 6 months.

Methods

This was a pragmatic randomised controlled trial including all employees aged 18–65 years, sick-listed by their general practitioner and on full or partial sick leave for the past 26 weeks in Hordaland County, Norway in 2015/16. Trial candidates were drawn from a central register at the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration at 22 weeks of sick leave. Pregnant women, individuals with cancer or dementia diagnoses, those with secret address, employed by NAV or sick listed by the specialist health services were excluded. Separate regression analyses were conducted to investigate the “intention-to-treat” and “treatment on the treated” effects, using the ordinary least squares and instrumental variable methods, respectively.

Results

After exemption based on predefined exclusion criteria, 5888 individuals were randomised to either IME (n = 2616) or TAU (n = 2599). The final intervention group constitutes 1698 individuals, of which 937 attended the IME consultation. No baseline differences were found between the IME and TAU group regarding gender, age, and previous sick leave. Individuals attending the IME were older than those who cancelled the appointment ((47/45), p = 0.006) and those who did not show up without cancelling ((47/42), p < 0.001). Mainly the IME physician agreed with the regular GP upon level of sick leave. In cases with different assessments, the difference tended to be towards a lower sick leave level. There were no intention to treat or treatment on the treated effect on days of sick leave after randomisation during follow up.

Conclusions

Overall, the analyses showed no effect of IME on changes in sick leave for sick listed employees. This result was consistent for those who were offered an IME consultation (intention to treat) and those who undertook an IME consultation (treatment on the treated).

Trial registration

ClinicalTirals.gov trial number NCT02524392 first registration 14.08.2015.

Poorer mental well-being and prior unmet need for mental healthcare: a longitudinal population-based study on men in Sweden

Background

Depression and anxiety disorder contribute to a significant part of the disease burden among men, yet many men refrain from seeking care or receive insufficient care when they do seek it. This is plausibly associated with poorer mental well-being, but there is a lack of population-based research. This study investigated 1) if men who had refrained from seeking mental healthcare at any time in life had poorer mental well-being than those who sought care, 2) if those who had sought care but perceived it as insufficient had poorer mental well-being than those who had perceived care as sufficient, and 3) if these differences persisted after 1 year.

Methods

This longitudinal study used questionnaire data from a population-based sample of 1240 men, aged 19–64 years, in Sweden. Having refrained from seeking mental healthcare, or perceiving the care as insufficient, at any time in life, was assessed in a questionnaire, 2008. Current mental well-being was assessed in 2008 and 2009 using mean scores on the WHO (Ten) Well-being Index. Lower scores indicate poorer mental well-being. Group differences were calculated using t-tests and multivariable linear regression analysis.

Results

Of the men who had perceived a need for mental healthcare, 37% had refrained from seeking such care. They had lower mental well-being scores in 2008, compared to those who sought care. Of those seeking care, 29% had perceived it as insufficient. They had lower mental well-being scores in 2008, compared to those who perceived the care as sufficient, but this was not statistically significant when controlling for potential confounders. There were no differences in mental well-being scores based on care-seeking or perceived care-sufficiency in 2009.

Conclusions

This population-based study indicates that men who have previously refrained from seeking mental healthcare, or perceived the care as insufficient, have poorer mental well-being. However, the lack of differences at the one-year follow-up contradicts these results. The results highlight the need for larger longitudinal studies, measuring care-seeking within a more specified time frame. This should be combined with efforts to increase men’s mental healthcare-seeking and to provide mental healthcare that is perceived as sufficient.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13690-021-00706-0.