Does a brief work-stress intervention prevent sick-leave during the following 24 months? : A randomized controlled trial in Swedish primary care

• BACKGROUND: Work-related stress (WRS) presents a risk for sick leave. However, effective methods to identify people at risk for sick leave due to WRS at an early stage are lacking in primary health care.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether a systematic early identification of WRS can prevent sick leave over 24 months after the intervention.METHODS: Study participants (n = 132 intervention; n = 139 control) were employed, non-sick-listed persons seeking care at primary health care centres. The intervention included early identification of WRS by a validated instrument, general practitioner (GP) awareness supported by a brief training session, patients' self-reflection by instrument completion, GP giving the patient feedback at consultation and GP identifying preventive measures. The control group received treatment as usual. Outcome data were retrieved from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency.RESULTS: The intervention group had less registered median sick leave days (n = 56) than the control group (n = 65) but the difference was not statistically significant.CONCLUSIONS: The brief intervention was not proven effective in preventing sick leave in the following 24 months compared to treatment as usual. Further research on how to identify, advice and treat those at high risk for sick leave in primary health care is needed.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Other Medical and Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Preventive intervention

Work stress questionnaire (WSQ)

common mental disorders

musculoskeletal disorders

sick leave days

Research on Citizen Centered Health, University of Skövde (Reacch US)

Medborgarcentrerad hälsa (Mech)

Preventive intervention

Work stress questionnaire (WSQ)

common mental disorders

musculoskeletal disorders

sick leave days

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)