Effectiveness of a return-to-work intervention for subacute low-back pain.

Scand J Work Environ Health

Department of Public and Occupational Health, Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Published: August 2005

The effectiveness of return-to-work intervention for subacute low-back pain on work absenteeism, pain severity, and functional status was examined by means of a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Publications in English that met the selection criteria were identified in a computer-aided search and assessed for methodological quality. A best-evidence synthesis was performed instead of statistical data pooling, because of the heterogeneity of the interventions and study populations. Five of nine studies comparing return-to-work intervention with usual care were identified as methodologically high-quality studies. Strong evidence was found for the effectiveness of return to work intervention on the return-to-work rate after 6 months and for the effectiveness of return-to-work intervention on the reduction of days of absence from work after > or = 12 months. It can be concluded that return-to-work interventions are equal or more effective regarding absence from work due to subacute low-back pain than usual care is.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.880DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

return-to-work intervention
16
effectiveness return-to-work
12
subacute low-back
12
low-back pain
12
intervention subacute
8
usual care
8
absence work
8
intervention
5
return-to-work
5
effectiveness
4

Similar Publications

Nurses' viewpoint of sustaining work despite musculoskeletal pain: A qualitative study.

J Educ Health Promot

December 2024

Health in Disasters and Emergencies Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Background: The nursing profession consistently has the highest rates of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among occupations due to physical and psychological pressures, leading to an increased number of sickness absences, early retirement, staff shortage, poor health conditions, and need for medical care. Absence among healthcare workers puts the quality of patient care at risk, and increase colleagues' workload and employer staffing expenses. This study aimed to investigate the viewpoints of Iranian nurses about sustaining work despite musculoskeletal pain.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Chinese cancer survivors are not doing well in returning to work. Peer support, as an external coping resource to help cancer survivors return to work, brings together members of the lay community with similar stressors or problems for mutual support. Peer volunteers have not received systematic training, so inappropriate language in the support process can often cause secondary damage to both the peer and the cancer survivor.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Quality of life and return to work rates in the first two years following major burn injury.

Burns

December 2024

School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia; Population Data Science, Swansea University, Wales.

Background: A better understanding of how major burns patients recover following injury is vital in assessing trauma care and informing healthcare and rehabilitation provision. We aimed to describe the longer-term health and return to work status of major burns patients and identify factors associated with positive outcomes i.e.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Practical and economic challenges of implementing group auricular acupuncture treatment for chronic pain in primary care.

Acupunct Med

January 2025

Osher Center for Integrative Health, Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Background: Although growing numbers of patients seek acupuncture for pain management, few acupuncturists with insurance credentialing work in the conventional medical settings. This has resulted in increasing frustration among patients wishing to receive acupuncture in primary care settings as part of their insurance benefits.

Methods: A course of eight weekly sessions of group auricular acupuncture (AA) for chronic musculoskeletal pain was implemented in a US primary care clinic and billed to insurance.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!