Prediction models to identify workers at risk of sick leave due to low-back pain in the Dutch construction industry.

Objective The aim of this study was to develop a prediction model based on variables measured in occupational health checks to identify non-sick listed workers at risk of sick leave due to non-specific low-back pain (LBP). Methods This cohort study comprised manual (N=22 648) and non-manual (N=9735) construction workers who participated in occupational health checks between 2010 and 2013. Occupational health check variables were used as potential predictors and LBP sick leave was recorded during 1-year follow-up.

Psychological distress screener for risk of future mental sickness absence in non-sicklisted employees.

Background: Recently, a three-item screener, derived from the 16-item distress scale of the Four-Dimensional Symptom Checklist (4DSQ), was used to measure psychological distress in sicklisted employees. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of the 16-item distress scale and three-item distress screener to identify non-sicklisted employees at risk of sickness absence (SA) due to mental disorders.

Methods: Prospective cohort study including 4877 employees working in distribution and transport.

Mental health symptoms identify workers at risk of long-term sickness absence due to mental disorders: prospective cohort study with 2-year follow-up.

Background: Mental health problems are a leading cause of long-term sickness absence (LTSA). Workers at risk of mental LTSA should preferably be identified before they report sick. The objective of this study was to examine mental health symptoms as predictors of future mental LTSA in non-sicklisted workers.

Shortened version of the work ability index to identify workers at risk of long-term sickness absence.

Background: The Work Ability Index (WAI) identifies non-sicklisted workers at risk of future long-term sickness absence (LTSA). The WAI is a complicated instrument and inconvenient for use in large-scale surveys. We investigated whether shortened versions of the WAI identify non-sicklisted workers at risk of LTSA.

Re: Amelsvoort et al. "Approaches for predicting long-term sickness absence".

We would like to thank Van Amelsvoort et al (1) for the interest in our study (2) and take the opportunity to clarify here that none of the workers were sick-listed when they participated in the baseline health survey. We mentioned in the abstract that incident (ie, not prevalent) long-term sickness absence was retrieved from an occupational health register (2). Our explanation of how to interpret the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve as measure of discrimination between workers with and without long-term sickness absence might have given the impression that the study population was a mix of workers with and without sickness absence.

Screening manual and office workers for risk of long-term sickness absence: cut-off points for the Work Ability Index.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the Work Ability Index (WAI) as a tool to screen for risk of different durations of long-term sickness absence (LTSA) among manual and office workers.

Methods: The prospective study comprised a cohort of 3049 (1710 manual and 1339 office) workers participating in occupational health surveys between 2010-2012. The survey date was set as baseline and incident LTSA episodes of different duration (>14, >28, >42, >60, and >90 days) were retrieved from an occupational health register in the year following the survey.

Effectiveness of an intervention at construction worksites on work engagement, social support, physical workload, and need for recovery: results from a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: To prolong sustainable healthy working lives of construction workers, a worksite prevention program was developed which aimed to improve the health and work ability of construction workers. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effectiveness of this program on social support at work, work engagement, physical workload and need for recovery.

Methods: Fifteen departments from six construction companies participated in this cluster randomized controlled trial; 8 departments (n=171 workers) were randomized to an intervention group and 7 departments (n=122 workers) to a control group.

Enterprise restructuring and the health of employees: a cohort study.

Objective: To examine the influence of enterprise restructuring on general health and emotional exhaustion, and to investigate which factors explain the relation between restructuring and these outcomes.

Methods: Longitudinal data of the Netherlands Working Conditions Cohort Study were used. At baseline and after 12 months, 9076 employees filled out a questionnaire.

Meeting the challenges of implementing an intervention to promote work ability and health-related quality of life at construction worksites: a process evaluation.

Objective: To evaluate the process of a prevention program among construction workers.

Methods: The program consisted of training sessions of a physical therapist and an empowerment trainer, and a Rest-Break Tool. Data on seven process items were collected by means of questionnaires and interviews.

Intervention Mapping as a framework for developing an intervention at the worksite for older construction workers.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to apply the Intervention Mapping approach as a framework in the development of a worksite intervention to improve the work ability of construction workers.

Design: Development of an intervention by using the Intervention Mapping approach.

Setting: Construction worksite.

A worksite prevention program for construction workers: design of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: A worksite prevention program was developed to promote the work ability of construction workers and thereby prolong a healthy working life. The objective of this paper is to present the design of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of that intervention program compared with usual care for construction workers.

Methods: The study is designed as a randomized controlled trial with a follow-up of one year.

Can favorable psychosocial work conditions and high work dedication protect against the occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders?

Objectives: This study investigated whether work dedication and job resources are longitudinally related to work-related musculoskeletal disorders and whether job resources buffer the impact of job demands on these disorders?

Methods: Data were used from a longitudinal three-phase study (2004, 2005, 2006) on health at work among a sample of Dutch workers. The first survey was sent in 2004 by e-mail to 3100 members of an existing panel. For the analyses, 1522 participants were included with full longitudinal data.