SynthesisBMJ open2015
The effectiveness of return-to-work interventions that incorporate work-focused problem-solving skills for workers with sickness absences related to mental disorders: a systematic literature review.
Synthesis in BMJ open, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 32 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
32 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of work-directed interventions on return-to-work in people on sick-leave for to common mental disorders-a systematic review.International archives of occupational and environmental health · 2024Pooled it
- Examination of the knowledge gap of return-to-work outcomes in routine outpatient treatment for common mental disorders: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Pooled it
- The Effectiveness of Mental Health Courts in Reducing Recidivism and Police Contact: A Systematic Review.Community mental health journal · 2019Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Associations between Psychosocial Working Conditions and Work-Specific Self-Efficacy Beliefs Among Employees Receiving Psychotherapeutic Consultation at Work.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2025Trial
- Is a Problem-Solving Intervention with Workplace Involvement for Employees on Sickness Absence Due to Common Mental Disorders More Effective, than Care as Usual, in Reducing Sickness Absence Days? Results of a Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial in Primary Health Care.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2025Trial
- Trial
- The effectiveness of a problem-solving intervention with workplace involvement on self-reported sick leave, psychological symptoms and work ability: a cluster randomised clinical trial.BMC public health · 2024Trial
- Does employer involvement in primary health care enhance return to work for patients with stress-related mental disorders? a cluster randomized controlled trial.BMC primary care · 2023Trial
- Trial
- Multidisciplinary Intervention and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Return-to-Work and Increased Employability among Patients with Mental Illness and/or Chronic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2018Trial
- Trial
- Process Evaluation of a Problem-Solving Intervention with Workplace Involvement for Employees on Sickness Absence Due to Common Mental Disorders in Swedish Primary Health Care.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Role of Occupational Health Nurses in Mental Health Management: Insights From Supporting Overseas Employees.Cureus · 2026Article
- Expanding the Focus on Work Factors in an Outpatient Setting: Does a Nudge of Patients and Clinicians have an Effect on Return-to-Work and Benefits? Findings from the NSAC Nudge Multicentre Randomised Controlled Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Negotiating Safety: Facilitation of Return to Work for Individuals Employed in High-Risk Occupations.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Ethical challenges from a problem-solving intervention with workplace involvement: a qualitative study among employees with common mental disorders, first-line managers, and rehabilitation coordinators.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2024Article
- What is the volume, quality and characteristics of evidence relating to the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of multi-disciplinary occupational health interventions aiming to improve work-related outcomes for employed adults? An evidence and gap map of systematic reviews.Campbell systematic reviews · 2024Article
- Fostering Stay at Work After a Period of Disability: A Scoping Review of Occupational Rehabilitation Strategies to Support Workers in the Adoption of Preventive Behaviours.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2024Article
- Experiences of participating in a problem-solving intervention with workplace involvement in Swedish primary health care: a qualitative study from rehabilitation coordinator's, employee's, and manager's perspectives.BMC public health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesThis paper reviews the current state of the published peer-reviewed literature related to return-to-work (RTW) interventions that incorporate work-related problem-solving skills for workers with sickness absences related to mental disorders. It addresses the question: What is the evidence for the effectiveness of these RTW interventions?
designUsing a multiphase screening process, this systematic literature review was based on publically available peer-reviewed studies. Five electronic databases were searched: (1) Medline Current, (2) Medline In-process, (3) PsycINFO, (4) Econlit and (5) Web of Science.
settingThe focus was on RTW interventions for workers with medically certified sickness absences related to mental disorders.
participantsWorkers with medically certified sickness absences related to mental disorders.
interventionsRTW intervention included work-focused problem-solving skills. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: RTW rates and length of sickness absences.
resultsThere were 4709 unique citations identified. Of these, eight articles representing a total of six studies were included in the review. In terms of bias avoidance, two of the six studies were rated as excellent, two as good and two as weak. Five studies were from the Netherlands; one was from Norway. There was variability among the studies with regard to RTW findings. Two of three studies reported significant differences in RTW rates between the intervention and control groups. One of six studies observed a significant difference in sickness absence duration between intervention and control groups.
conclusionsThere is limited evidence that combinations of interventions that include work-related problem-solving skills are effective in RTW outcomes. The evidence could be strengthened if future studies included more detailed examinations of intervention adherence and changes in problem-solving skills. Future studies should also examine the long-term effects of problem-solving skills on sickness absence recurrence and work productivity.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.