ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2013
Promoting work ability in a structured national rehabilitation program in patients with musculoskeletal disorders: outcomes and predictors in a prospective cohort study.
Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Workplace interventions to prevent work disability in workers on sick leave.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015Pooled it
- Long-term effects on function, health-related quality of life and work ability after structured physiotherapy including a workplace intervention. A secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial (WorkUp) in primary care for patients with neck and/or back pain.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2020Trial
- Bridging the Gap Between Rehabilitation and Return to Work: A Qualitative Evaluation of a Workplace Intervention for Low Back Pain.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Experiences and perceptions of employees and healthcare professionals on a multidisciplinary program for the secondary prevention of low back pain.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Relationship between the timing of physical therapy commencement and the duration of work disability: a retrospective cohort analysis of work-related low back pain claims.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Clinical Application of Rapid Upper Limb Assessment and Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire in Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Bibliometric Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Review
- Predictive Factors of Short-Term Related Musculoskeletal Pain in the Automotive Industry.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Self-Reported Health in Patients on or at Risk of Sick Leave Due to Depression and Anxiety: Validity of the EQ-5D.Frontiers in psychology · 2021Article
- Evaluation of a multimodal pain rehabilitation programme in primary care based on clinical register data: a feasibility study.Primary health care research & development · 2020Observational
- Article
- Referring to multimodal rehabilitation for patients with musculoskeletal disorders - a register study in primary health care.BMC health services research · 2017Article
- Fostering needs assessment and access to medical rehabilitation for patients with chronic disease and endangered work ability: protocol of a multilevel evaluation on the effectiveness and efficacy of a CME intervention for general practitioners.Journal of occupational medicine and toxicology (London, England) · 2017Article
- Productivity at work and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2015Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major reason for impaired work productivity and sick leave. In 2009, a national rehabilitation program was introduced in Sweden to promote work ability, and patients with MSDs were offered multimodal rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of this program on health related quality of life, function, sick leave and work ability.
methodsWe conducted a prospective, observational cohort study including 406 patients with MSDs attending multimodal rehabilitation. Changes over time and differences between groups were analysed concerning function, health related quality of life, work ability and sick leave. Regression analyses were used to study the outcome variables health related quality of life (measured with EQ-5D), and sick leave.
resultsFunctional ability and health related quality of life improved after rehabilitation. Patients with no sick leave/disability pension the year before rehabilitation, improved health related quality of life more than patients with sick leave/disability pension the year before rehabilitation (p = 0.044). During a period of -/+ four months from rehabilitation start, patients with EQ-5D ≥ 0.5 at rehabilitation start, reduced their net sick leave days with 0.5 days and patients with EQ-5D <0.5 at rehabilitation start, increased net sick leave days with 1.5 days (p = 0.019). Factors negatively associated with sick leave at follow-up were earlier episodes of sick leave/disability pension, problems with exercise tolerance functions and mobility after rehabilitation. Higher age was associated with not being on sick leave at follow-up and reaching an EQ-5D ≥ 0.5 at follow-up. Severe pain after rehabilitation, problems with exercise tolerance functions, born outside of Sweden and full-time sick leave/disability pension the year before rehabilitation were all associated with an EQ-5D level < 0.5 at follow-up.
conclusionsPatients with MSDs participating in a national work promoting rehabilitation program significantly improved their health related quality of life and functional ability, especially those with no sick leave. This shows that vocational rehabilitation programs in a primary health care setting are effective. The findings of this study can also be valuable for more appropriate patient selection for rehabilitation programs for MSDs.
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