ReviewBMJ open2019
The work of return to work. Challenges of returning to work when you have chronic pain: a meta-ethnography.
Review in BMJ open, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05058547 (An Evidence-based Digital Support for One Year to Facilitate a Sustainable Return to Work for Persons With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and Their Employers), which is not on this map. Cited by 43 papers, 1 of them a synthesis 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.
An Evidence-based Digital Support for One Year to Facilitate a Sustainable Return to Work for Persons With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and Their Employers: Study Protocol for a Registry-based Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial.
Who cites it
43 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- A Mega-Ethnography of Qualitative Meta-Syntheses on Return to Work in People with Chronic Health Conditions.Die Rehabilitation · 2024Pooled it
- Supporting Sustainable Return to Work in Large Organizations: A Cluster Randomised Feasibility Trial of a Multi-Level Intervention.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Trial
- Modified surgical anchor refixation in older patients with acute proximal hamstring rupture: clinical outcome, patient satisfaction and muscle strength.Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery · 2023Trial
- The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) in Pain Trial: A Randomized Controlled Trial of IPS for Patients with Chronic Pain Conditions.Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) · 2022Trial
- 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
- Chronic Pain and Labour Market Affiliation: Effect of Demographic Factors and Comorbidities 5 Years Before and 2 Years After Multidisciplinary Treatment.European journal of pain (London, England) · 2025Article
- Obstacles and facilitators of return to work among people with persistent pain who receive benefit payments: an in-depth interview study.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Staying at Work with Musculoskeletal Pain in a Physically Demanding Job: A Qualitative Exploration of Workers' and Managers' Perspectives.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Evaluating the Impact on Pain Perceptions, Pain Intensity, and Physical Activity of a Mobile App to Empower Employees With Musculoskeletal Pain: Mixed Methods Pilot Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Translation and cultural adaptation of evidence-informed leaflets on the work-health interface: a pragmatic approach to cultural adaptation.Primary health care research & development · 2024Article
- Individual supported work placements (ReISE) for improving sustained return to work in unemployed people with persistent pain: an internal pilot study of a cohort randomised controlled approach.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2024Article
- Article
- Allied health professionals' experiences and views towards improving musculoskeletal services in the UK for patients with musculoskeletal and co-existing mental health conditions: a qualitative study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2024Article
- "I'm pulling through because of you": injured workers' perspective of workplace factors supporting return to work under the Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board scheme.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2024Article
- Health-related quality of life in patients with peripheral nerve tumors: results from the German multicentric Peripheral Nerve Tumor Registry.Frontiers in oncology · 2024Article
- Nurses' viewpoint of sustaining work despite musculoskeletal pain: A qualitative study.Journal of education and health promotion · 2024Article
- Evaluating the Clinical Use and Utility of a Digital Support App for Employees With Chronic Pain Returning to Work (SWEPPE): Observational Study.JMIR human factors · 2023Observational
- Understanding the lived experience of chronic pain: A systematic review and synthesis of qualitative evidence syntheses.British journal of pain · 2023Article
- Acceptability of the eHealth Intervention Sustainable Worker Digital Support for Persons With Chronic Pain and Their Employers (SWEPPE): Questionnaire and Interview Study.JMIR human factors · 2023Article
- Separate and joint associations of chronic pain, multisite pain and mental health with sickness absence among younger employees: a register based longitudinal study.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 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
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
aimsTo understand obstacles to returning to work, as perceived by people with chronic non-malignant pain and as perceived by employers, and to develop a conceptual model.
designSynthesis of qualitative research using meta-ethnography. DATA SOURCES: Eleven bibliographic databases from inception to April 2017 supplemented by citation tracking. REVIEW
methodsWe used the methods of meta-ethnography. We identified concepts and conceptual categories, and developed a conceptual model and line of argument.
resultsWe included 41 studies. We identified three core categories in the conceptual model: managing pain, managing work relationships and making workplace adjustments. All were influenced by societal expectations in relation to work, self (self-belief, self-efficacy, legitimacy, autonomy and the meaning of work for the individual), health/illness/pain representations, prereturn to work support and rehabilitation, and system factors (healthcare, workplace and social security). A mismatch of expectations between the individual with pain and the workplace contributed to a feeling of being judged and difficulties asking for help. The ability to navigate obstacles and negotiate change underpinned mastering return to work despite the pain. Where this ability was not apparent, there could be a downward spiral resulting in not working.
conclusionsFor people with chronic pain, and for their employers, navigating obstacles to return to work entails balancing the needs of (1) the person with chronic pain, (2) work colleagues and (3) the employing organisation. Managing pain, managing work relationships and making workplace adjustments appear to be central, but not straightforward, and require substantial effort to culminate in a successful return to work.
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.