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Dol M, Varatharajan S, Neiterman E, McKnight E, Crouch M, McDonald E, Malachowski C, Dali N, Giau E, MacEachen E. Systematic Review of the Impact on Return to Work of Return-to-Work Coordinators. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL REHABILITATION 2021; 31:675-698. [PMID: 33881671 DOI: 10.1007/s10926-021-09975-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Purpose We conducted a systematic review to understand the impact that return-to-work coordinators (RTWCs) have on return to work (RTW) outcomes for sick/injured workers. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and ABI Inform were searched from January 1, 2000 to September 16, 2020. Of 2,927 retrieved and screened citations, 14 quantitative articles fulfilled the eligibility and quality criteria. Quality assessment, data extraction, and evidence synthesis followed article screening. Results We focused on the impact of RTWCs for outcomes of work absence, RTW rates, quality of life, and cost-benefit. Our final synthesis included 14 articles. We found strong evidence that work absence duration was reduced when workers had face-to-face contact with a RTWC. As well, there was strong evidence linking face-to-face RTWC interventions with higher RTW rates and moderate evidence that this reduced intervention costs. RTWC interventions involving the identification of barriers and facilitators to RTW also showed promising results. However, only limited evidence was found that RTWCs improved quality of life for workers. Conclusions Our synthesis identifies key features of RTW interventions that improve RTW outcomes. Future high-quality research should measure long-term outcomes of RTWC interventions to evaluate sustainability and consider the nature of work. They should also focus on RTWC impact on worker quality of life assessments and for older workers and workers with chronic health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Dol
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - S Varatharajan
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - E Neiterman
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - E McKnight
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - M Crouch
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - E McDonald
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - C Malachowski
- University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe St N, Oshawa, ON, L1G 0C5, Canada
| | - N Dali
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - E Giau
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - E MacEachen
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
- University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe St N, Oshawa, ON, L1G 0C5, Canada.
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Skarpaas LS, Haveraaen LA, Småstuen MC, Shaw WS, Aas RW. Horizontal return to work coordination was more common in RTW programs than the recommended vertical coordination. The Rapid-RTW cohort study. BMC Health Serv Res 2019; 19:759. [PMID: 31655594 PMCID: PMC6815375 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-019-4607-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In return-to-work (RTW) programs, coordinators are often provided in order to integrate services. However, models of coordinating services vary widely internationally, and across different programs, where one distinction is between vertical and horizontal integration (i.e. between levels/institutions, or within one service/level). The aim of this study was therefore to explore and describe if and how a coordinator was provided in RTW-programs, and whether the provision of a coordinator was associated with certain personal or intervention characteristics. METHODS The study was designed as a cohort study following employees participating in a variety of Rapid-RTW-programs in Norway (n = 39). Employees (n = 494) answered a self-administered questionnaire, which was linked to register-data on diagnoses and sickness-absence. Employees who replied yes/no to the question "Did the program provide a person who tailored or coordinated your services?" were included in this analysis. Associations for being provided with a coordinator were tested in adjusted logistic regression models. RESULTS Sixty-nine percent of the employees reported having a coordinator. These coordinators were mainly responsible for coordinating treatment within own programs (i.e. horizontal coordination, 68%). As expected, rehabilitation programs more often provided a coordinator compared to treatment programs (OR 3.87 95% CI 2.42-6.24). The odds for being provided with a coordinator were reduced for each additional year of age of the employee (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.96-0.99). More professions were involved in programs that provided coordinators, also more contact with other stakeholders like leaders and social insurance services (NAV), but only contact with supervisor remained statistically significant in adjusted analysis (OR 1.69 95% CI 0.31-9.27). The programs with a coordinator more often provided adaptations at the workplace for the individual employee (OR 0.08 95% CI 0.01-0.60). However, these signs of vertical integration were only evident for a limited number of employees. CONCLUSION In this study, seven of ten employees reported to have a coordinator, which was associated with more professions and stakeholder involvement in the RTW-process. Most of these coordinators did not coordinate vertically between the service levels and types of intervention arenas for sick listed employees (i.e. workplace, social security, and health care services), as recommended in earlier research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisebet Skeie Skarpaas
- Presenter - Making Sense of Science, Stavanger, Norway. .,Department of Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.
| | | | | | - William S Shaw
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Randi Wågø Aas
- Presenter - Making Sense of Science, Stavanger, Norway.,Department of Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
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Carlsson L, Lytsy P, Anderzén I, Hallqvist J, Wallman T, Gustavsson C. Motivation for return to work and actual return to work among people on long-term sick leave due to pain syndrome or mental health conditions. Disabil Rehabil 2018; 41:3061-3070. [PMID: 30039717 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2018.1490462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between motivation for return to work and actual return to work, or increased employability among people on long-term sick leave.Materials and methods: Data by responses to questionnaires was collected from 227 people on long-term sick leave (mean = 7.9 years) due to pain syndrome or mild to moderate mental health conditions who had participated in a vocational rehabilitation intervention. The participants' motivation for return to work was measured at baseline. At 12-month follow-up, change in the type of reimbursement between baseline and at present was assessed and used to categorise outcomes as: "decreased work and employability", "unchanged", "increased employability", and "increased work". Associations between baseline motivation and return to work outcome were analysed using logistic and multinomial regression models.Results: Motivation for return to work at baseline was associated with return to work or increased employability at 12-month follow-up in the logistic regression model adjusting for potential confounders (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.25-4.78).Conclusions: The results suggest that motivation for return to work at baseline was associated with actual chances of return to work or increased employability in people on long-term sick leave due to pain syndrome or mild to moderate mental health conditions. Implication for rehabilitationHigh motivation for return to work seems to increase the chances of actual return to work or increased employability in people on sick leave due to pain syndrome or mild to moderate mental health conditions.The potential impact of motivation for return to work is suggested to be highlighted in vocational rehabilitation.Rehabilitation professionals are recommended to recognise and take into consideration the patient's stated motivation for return to work.Rehabilitation professionals should be aware of that the patient's motivation for return to work might have an impact on the outcome of vocational rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Carlsson
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Centre for Clinical Research Dalarna, Uppsala University, Falun, Sweden
| | - Per Lytsy
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Anderzén
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Hallqvist
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Thorne Wallman
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Eskilstuna, Sweden
| | - Catharina Gustavsson
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Centre for Clinical Research Dalarna, Uppsala University, Falun, Sweden
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