Absenteeism at Two Occupational Health Services in Belgium from 2014 to 2021.

Medical certification is often needed for absences of longer than one workday. The literature remains unclear as to whether this changes absenteeism. Earlier research found that the merging of two firms can augment or diminish short-term absenteeism.

A pilot randomized controlled trial on motivational interviewing in return to work after work disability.

Purpose: Does 15-minute consult using Motivational Interviewing (MI) have a positive effect on (1) time until return to work (RTW) and relapse after work resumption for patients who have been work disabled for longer than 3 months, and (2) can psychological variables (i.e., work-related motivation, work-related psychological needs, quality of life and work ability) explain these results?

Methods: 265 patients were included in a pilot randomized controlled trial, parallel and single blind, with an allocation ratio of 1:1 comparing the consult with MI with the consult as usual group (CAU).

Impact of job characteristics on return-to-work interval following arthroscopic partial meniscectomy.

The aim of this paper was to investigate whether job characteristics are associated with time interval for return to former professional activity (return to work, RTW) after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM). A retrospective study was carried out in a sample of 63 patients in working age who underwent an APM between July 2018 and July 2020. The following preoperative characteristics were assessed: age at surgery, meniscal side, sex, physical job demands (white versus blue collar worker), telework and work status (salaried versus self- employed).

Perceived team roles of medical students: a five year cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Despite the increasing importance of teamwork in healthcare, medical education still puts great emphasis on individual achievements. The purpose of this study is to examine medical students' team role preferences, including the association with gender and specialty; and to provide implications for policy makers and medical educators.

Methods: We used an exploratory methodology, following a cross-sectional design.

Ethical guidance or epistemological injustice? The quality and usefulness of ethical guidance for humanitarian workers and agencies.

This paper explores the quality and usefulness of ethical guidance for humanitarian aid workers and their agencies. We focus specifically on public health emergencies, such as COVID-19. The authors undertook a literature review and gathered empirical data through semi-structured focus group discussions amongst front-line workers from health clinics in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh and in the Abyei Special Administrative Area, South Sudan.

Does motivation predict return to work? A longitudinal analysis.

Objectives: Motivation for return to work (RTW) reflects the degree of willingness to resume work activities and has been shown to be a crucial factor in long-term work disability. The satisfaction of basic psychological needs and motivation as described by the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) yield associations with outcomes such as quality of life and job satisfaction. The current study is the first study to examine whether motivation and basic psychological needs are predictive for RTW outcomes at 1-year follow-up.

Implant failure following pedicle based dynamic stabilization of the lumbar spine.

Pedicle-based dynamic stabilization (PBDS) devices such as Dynesys are promoted as an alternative and less invasive option for rigid stabilization of one and even more levels of the lumbar spine. Promising features of the Dynesys system, as well as shortcomings, became obvious in several clinical studies. Since 2012, we started using a new PBDS device as an alternative for the Dynesys, to avoid the screw loosening and the kyphosing effect.

Preparing humanitarians to address ethical problems.

Infectious disease outbreaks represent potentially catastrophic threats to those affected by humanitarian crises. High transmissibility, crowded living conditions, widespread co-morbidities, and a lack of intensive care capacity may amplify the effects of the outbreak on already vulnerable populations and present humanitarian actors with intense ethical problems. We argue that there are significant and troubling gaps in ethical awareness at the level of humanitarian praxis.

Motivation in the return to work process: a self-determination cluster approach.

Purpose: Motivation may predict return to work (RTW), yet the measurement of motivation needs more scientific evidence. We adopt a dimensional approach, based on the self-determination theory (SDT), distinguishing between amotivation, controlled and autonomous motivation. We seek to explore the presence of these dimensions in sick-disabled patients, and are interested in associations with quality of life, depression, patient's predictions of RTW, and health care provider estimations of patient's motivation.

Psychosocial determinants predicting long-term sickness absence: a register-based cohort study.

Background: This study assessed the psychosocial determinants as explanatory variables for the length of the work disability period. The aim was to estimate the predictive value of a selected set of psychosocial determinants from the Quickscan questionnaire for the length of the sick leave period. A comparison was also made with the most common biomedical determinant: diagnosis.

Correction to: Assessment of long-term sickness absence: content and face validity of a new questionnaire based on qualitative data from nominal groups.

In the original publication of this article [1] the author Marc Du Bois was omitted. In this correction article the author and the corresponding details are provided. The publisher apologizes to the readers and authors for the inconvenience.

Assessment of long-term sickness absence: content and face validity of a new questionnaire based on qualitative data from nominal groups.

Background: Increasing rates of long-term sickness absence are a worldwide problem. Belgium is the first country in Europe that aims to screen its entire population of sick leavers (sick leave > 6 weeks) for the risk of long-term sickness absence in order to focus resources on the high-risk group and to provide adequate return-to-work support. Our aim was to investigate content and face validity of a newly designed questionnaire (Quickscan) using item prioritization of patients and professionals in the field of long-term sickness absence.

Quickscan assesses risk factors of long-term sickness absence: A cross-sectional (factorial) construct validation study.

Objectives: The number of sick-listed employees has increased dramatically worldwide. Therefore, many countries aim to stimulate early and sustainable return to work opportunities to obtain better health outcomes and lower costs for disability pensions. To effectively orientate resources to patients with a high risk of not resuming work spontaneously, it is necessary to screen patients early in their sickness absence process.

Screening for the risk on long-term sickness absence.

Long-term sickness absence is a growing concern in Belgium and other European countries. Since 2017, Belgian physicians of the sickness funding organisations are required to assess the re-integration possibilities within the first two months of sickness absence. Given the shortage of physicians in the assessment of work disability and the growing number of people in sickness absence, there is a need for a triage tool, allowing to assign return-to work support to patients having a high-risk profile not to resume work.

Quickscan Assesses Risk of Long-Term Sickness Absence: A Cross-Sectional Validation Study.

Objective: Increasing long-term sickness absence in many countries asks for specific measures regarding return-to work.

Methods: The risk of long-term sickness absence was assessed using a questionnaire containing work-related, function-related, stressful life-events-related, and person-related factors. Additionally, workers' occupational health physician estimated the worker's chances for work resumption.

A decade's experience in lumbar spine surgery in Belgium: sickness fund beneficiaries, 2000-2009.

Purpose: The purpose is to study rates, trends, geographic variations and outcome of lumbar spine surgery in the Belgian population during the last decade.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using administrative data of the largest Belgian sickness fund from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2009. Cases included lumbar laminectomy, combined discectomy and fusion, posterior interarticular fusion, anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and standard discectomy.

Guiding low back claimants to work: a randomized controlled trial.

Study Design: A single-blinded, randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To determine the impact of information and advice during a disability evaluation by medical advisers on the return to work (RTW) rate and recurrence of sick leave of claimants with low back pain (LBP).

Summary Of Background Data: There is evidence on the importance of advice during the course of subacute LBP.

Outcome and cost of spinal fractures and spinal tumors.

The aim of the study was to delineate rates of surgery, length of hospital stay, return to work, iterative surgery rates and cost to society of spinal tumor (ST) and spinal fracture (SF) surgery in Belgium. Overall surgery rates were obtained from the National Institute for Health Care and Disability Insurance. Medical and financial claims data were abstracted from the administrative database of the Alliance of Christian Sickness Funds which includes data of 42% of the mandatory insured Belgian population.

A screening questionnaire to predict no return to work within 3 months for low back pain claimants.

The objective of the present study was to develop a short prediction questionnaire for estimating the risk of no return to work (RTW) within 3 months of sick leave to facilitate triage and management of a patient population of subacute low-back pain (LBP) sufferers. We conducted a prospective study with a 3-month follow-up on 186 patients with LBP introducing a claim for sickness benefits to the largest sickness fund in Belgium. Patients completed a screening questionnaire within 2 weeks after claim submission.

Comparison between spinal surgery blood transfusion services costs and associated treatment practices in the United States and Belgium.

Objective: This study assessed utilization and cost of allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) associated with spinal surgery in the United States (US) and Belgium.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of 292,864 spinal surgery inpatients in US hospitals was pooled with a cohort of 27,952 inpatients who had similar procedures in Belgian hospitals. Utilization and cost data were derived from hospital accounting systems.