Patients' and Health Care Providers' Opinions on a Supportive Health App During Breast Cancer Treatment: A Qualitative Evaluation.

Background: Health apps are increasingly being used in clinical care and may hold significant theoretical potential. However, they are often implemented in clinical care before any research has been done to confirm actual benefits for patients, physicians, and researchers.

Objective: This study aimed to explore experiences of patients and health care providers with the use of a supportive breast cancer app during the first 6 months following diagnosis, in terms of benefits for clinical practice and research purposes.

Predictive factors of postpartum fatigue: a prospective cohort study among working women.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate which prepartum determinants contribute to the development of postpartum (PP) fatigue among working women in the Netherlands.

Methods: A prospective cohort study in 15 Dutch companies was conducted to measure different potential predictors using self-administrated questionnaires at baseline and at 30 weeks of pregnancy. Fatigue was measured at 12 (N=523) and 52 weeks (N=436) PP using the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS).

[Survived breast cancer, but unemployed].

A recent Danish retrospective cohort study of 14,750 women concluded that the duration of the period of unemployment before breast cancer may be the most important determinant of unemployment following breast cancer treatment. This finding allows for the identification of a particularly vulnerable group of patients in need of rehabilitation. The generalizability of the findings of the Danish study is discussed in this article.

Effectiveness of a web-based intervention for injured claimants: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: There is considerable evidence showing that injured people who are involved in a compensation process show poorer physical and mental recovery than those with similar injuries who are not involved in a compensation process. One explanation for this reduced recovery is that the legal process and the associated retraumatization are very stressful for the claimant. The aim of this study was to empower injured claimants in order to facilitate recovery.

Do claim factors predict health care utilization after transport accidents?

Background: Injured people who are involved in compensation processes have less recovery and less well-being compared to those not involved in claims settlement procedures. This study investigated whether claim factors, such as no-fault versus common law claims, the number of independent medical assessments, and legal disputes, predict health care utilization after transport accidents.

Method: The sample consisted of 68,911 claimants who lodged a compensation claim at the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) in Victoria, Australia, between 2000 and 2005.

Interventions to facilitate return to work in adults with adjustment disorders.

Background: Adjustment disorders are a frequent cause of sick leave and various interventions have been developed to expedite the return to work (RTW) of individuals on sick leave due to adjustment disorders.

Objectives: To assess the effects of interventions facilitating RTW for workers with acute or chronic adjustment disorders.

Search Methods: We searched the Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Review Group's Specialised Register (CCDANCTR) to October 2011; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) to Issue 4, 2011; MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and ISI Web of Science, all years to February 2011; the WHO trials portal (ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.

Predictors for postpartum pelvic girdle pain in working women: the Mom@Work cohort study.

The objective of this study was to examine which factors during pregnancy and postpartum predict pelvic girdle pain (PGP) at 12 weeks postpartum among working women. A total of 548 Dutch pregnant employees were recruited in 15 companies, mainly health care, child care, and supermarkets. The definition of PGP was any pain felt in the pelvic girdle region at 12 weeks postpartum.

Procedural justice and quality of life in compensation processes.

Background: There is considerable evidence that being involved in compensation processes has a negative impact on claimants' health. Previous studies suggested that this negative effect is caused by a stressful compensation process: claimants suffered from a lack of communication, a lack of information, and feelings of distrust. However, these rather qualitative findings have not been quantitatively investigated yet.

Exploring Lawyer-Client Interaction: A Qualitative Study of Positive Lawyer Characteristics.

Personal injury victims involved in compensation processes have a worse recovery than those not involved in compensation processes. One predictor for worse recovery is lawyer engagement. As some people argue that this negative relation between lawyer engagement and recovery may be explained by lawyers' attitude and communications to clients, it seems important to investigate lawyer-client interaction.

Do compensation processes impair mental health? A meta-analysis.

Background: Victims who are involved in a compensation processes generally have more health complaints compared to victims who are not involved in a compensation process. Previous research regarding the effect of compensation processes has concentrated on the effect on physical health. This meta-analysis focuses on the effect of compensation processes on mental health.

Process evaluation of a web-based intervention aimed at empowerment of disability benefit claimants.

Background: The objective of this process evaluation study was to gain insight into the reach, compliance, appreciation, usage barriers, and users' perceived effectiveness of a web-based intervention http://www.wiagesprek.nl.

Empowerment of personal injury victims through the internet: design of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Research has shown that current claims settlement process can have a negative impact on psychological and physical recovery of personal injury (PI) victims. One of the explanations for the negative impact on health is that the claims settlement process is a stressful experience and victims suffer from renewed victimization caused by the claims settlement process. PI victims can experience a lack of information, lack of involvement, lack of 'voice', and poor communication.

Effectiveness of an interactive website aimed at empowerment of disability benefit claimants: results of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an interactive website aimed at empowerment of disability claimants, prior to the assessment of disability by an insurance physician.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Claimants applying for a work disability pension after being sick-listed for 104 weeks, were randomized into either an intervention group or control group.

Empowerment of people with a long-term work disability: development of the 'VrijBaan' questionnaire.

Purpose: To develop an instrument that measures empowerment among people with a long-term work disability.

Methods: A six-dimension empowerment model was chosen as a theoretical framework. These dimensions are as follows: competence, self-determination, meaning, impact, positive identity and group orientation.

Return to work and occupational physicians' management of common mental health problems--process evaluation of a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the adherence of occupational physicians (OP) to the Dutch guideline on the management of common mental health problems and its effect on return to work as part of the process evaluation of a trial comparing adherence to the guideline to care as usual. The first hypothesis was that guideline adherence among the "guideline group" will be higher compared to the "usual care group". The second hypothesis was that better guideline adherence by the occupational physician will be associated with earlier return to work.

Effectiveness of web-based interventions on patient empowerment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Patient empowerment is growing in popularity and application. Due to the increasing possibilities of the Internet and eHealth, many initiatives that are aimed at empowering patients are delivered online.

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate whether Web-based interventions are effective in increasing patient empowerment compared with usual care or face-to-face interventions.

Value of symptoms and additional diagnostic tests for colorectal cancer in primary care: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To summarise available evidence on diagnostic tests that might help primary care physicians to identify patients with an increased risk for colorectal cancer among those consulting for non-acute lower abdominal symptoms.

Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, and reference screening. Study eligibility criteria Studies were selected if the design was a diagnostic study; the patients were adults consulting because of non-acute lower abdominal symptoms; tests included signs, symptoms, blood tests, or faecal tests.

Evidence-based guidelines in the evaluation of work disability: an international survey and a comparison of quality of development.

Background: In social insurance, the evaluation of work disability is becoming stricter as priority is given to the resumption of work, which calls for a guarantee of quality for these evaluations. Evidence-based guidelines have become a major instrument in the quality control of health care, and the quality of these guidelines' development can be assessed using the AGREE instrument. In social insurance medicine, such guidelines are relatively new.

Empowerment of disability benefit claimants through an interactive website: design of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Individuals claiming a disability benefit after long-term sickness absence, have to undergo medical disability assessments. These assessments, often carried out by specialized physicians, can be complicated by wrong expectations or defensive attitudes of disability benefit claimants. It is hypothesized that empowerment of these claimants will enhance the physician-patient relationship by shifting claimants from a passive role to a more active and constructive role during disability assessments.

Can prolonged sick leave after gynecologic surgery be predicted? An observational study in The Netherlands.

Background: Sick leave frequently has been used as an outcome to evaluate minimal invasive surgery compared with conventional open surgery. However, sick leave is determined not only by the surgical approach. Recently, a postoperative recovery-specific quality-of-life questionnaire, the Recovery Index (RI-10), has been developed and validated.

Design of a randomized controlled trial on the effects of counseling of mental health problems by occupational physicians on return to work: the CO-OP-study.

Background: Mental health problems often lead to prolonged sick leave. In primary care, the usual approach towards these patients was the advice to take rest and not return to work before all complaints had disappeared. When complaints persist, these patients are often referred to psychologists from primary and specialized secondary care.

Improving return-to-work after childbirth: design of the Mom@Work study, a randomised controlled trial and cohort study.

Background: Many women suffer from health problems after giving birth, which can lead to sick leave. About 30% of Dutch workers are on sick leave after maternity leave. Structural contact of supervisors with employees on maternity leave, supported by early medical advice of occupational physicians, may increase the chances of return-to-work after maternity leave.