TY - JOUR T1 - Effect of the Danish return-to-work program on long-term sickness absence: results from a randomized controlled trial in three municipalities JO - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PY - 2014/1VL - 40 IS - 1 SP - 47 EP - 56 AU - Poulsen, Otto Melchior AU - Aust, Birgit AU - Bjorner, Jakob Bue AU - Rugulies, Reiner AU - Hansen, Jørgen V AU - Tverborgvik, Torill AU - Winzor, Glen AU - Mortensen, Ole Steen AU - Helverskov, Trine AU - Ørbæk, Palle AU - Nielsen, Maj Britt D M3 - doi: 10.5271/sjweh.3383 UR - https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3383 KW - coordinated case management KW - Denmark KW - effect evaluation KW - intervention KW - long-term sickness absence KW - multidisciplinary KW - randomized controlled trial KW - return to work KW - return-to-work program KW - sickness absence KW - work resumption N2 - '

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OBJECTIVES ': 'The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Danish return-to-work (RTW) program on long-term sickness absence in a randomized controlled trial in three municipalities.

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METHODS ': 'The intervention group comprised 1948 participants while the control group comprised 1157 participant receiving ordinary sickness benefit management (OSM). Study participants were working-age adults receiving long-term (≥8 weeks or more) benefits, included regardless of reason for sickness absence or employment status. Each beneficiary was followed-up for a maximum period of 52 weeks. Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for return to work (RTW) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

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RESULTS ': 'The intervention effect differed significantly between the municipalities (P=0.00005). In one municipality (M2) the intervention resulted in a statistically significant increased rate of recovery from long-term sickness absence (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.31–1.74). In the other two municipalities, the intervention did not show a statistically significant effect (HRM1 1.12, 95% CI 0.97–1.29, and HRM3 0.80, 95% CI 0.63–1.03, respectively). Adjustment for a series of possible confounders only marginally altered the estimated HR.

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CONCLUSION ': 'The effect of the intervention differed substantially between the three municipalities, indicating that that contextual factors are of major importance for success or failure of this complex intervention.

SN - 0355-3140 ER -