Evidence map›Paper›PMID 18213510›Full record

SynthesisJournal of occupational rehabilitation2008

A systematic review of the factors which predict return to work for people suffering episodes of poor mental health.

Lindsay Blank, J Peters, S Pickvance, J Wilford, E Macdonald

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 94 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
94citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

94 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  18. Return to Work or Not: The Paths to Psychiatric Disability and Back.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2026
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34 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Lindsay BlankSchool of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA, UK. l.blank@sheffield.ac.uk
J Peters
S Pickvance
J Wilford
E Macdonald

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPoor mental health is responsible for a large percentage of long term work absence, and only 50% of those who are off work for 6 months or more return to work.

methodWe aimed to describe the factors which predict or restrict return to work for people suffering episodes of poor mental health. A literature review was conducted to identify all papers relating to long term mental illness absence.

resultsFourteen papers of varying methodological quality considered mental health in relation to psychiatric morbidity, depression, stress, and body weight. Successful return to work is predicted by factors related to work, family history, health risk behaviours, social status, and medical condition.

conclusionsThis study identifies a range of factors which are important in preventing return to work for people with mental health conditions. The factors affecting RTW after a period of sickness absence due to poor mental health are wide ranging and in some cases studies have produced opposing results (particularly in the case of demographic factors). Further research is required to describe the factors which delay return to work for people experiencing episodes of poor mental health.

Indexed as

Rehabilitation, VocationalAdaptation, PsychologicalEmploymentForecastingHumansMental DisordersMiddle AgedRisk FactorsSocioeconomic Factors

Identifiers

PMID18213510

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.