Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39972279›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2025

Depression care trajectories and sustainable return to work among long-term sick-listed workers: a register-based study (The Norwegian GP-DEP Study).

Heidi Marie Meling, Valborg Baste, Sabine Ruths, Norman Anderssen, Inger Haukenes

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Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
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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.

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

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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.

Heidi Marie MelingResearch Unit for General Practice, NORCE - Norwegian Research Centre, Årstadveien 17, 5009, Bergen, Norway. heki@norceresearch.no.
Valborg BasteResearch Unit for General Practice, NORCE - Norwegian Research Centre, Årstadveien 17, 5009, Bergen, Norway.
Sabine RuthsResearch Unit for General Practice, NORCE - Norwegian Research Centre, Årstadveien 17, 5009, Bergen, Norway.
Norman AnderssenDepartment of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Christies Gate 12, 5015, Bergen, Norway.
Inger HaukenesResearch Unit for General Practice, NORCE - Norwegian Research Centre, Årstadveien 17, 5009, Bergen, Norway.

Funding

The Research Council of Norway 287884
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDepressive disorders can negatively impact work life sustainability for affected individuals. Little is known about depression care trajectories and their association with sustainable return to work (SRTW) after long-term sick leave. This study aimed to identify depression care trajectories during the first three months of sick leave among long-term sick-listed workers with depression and investigate their associations with SRTW.

methods

designNationwide cohort study using linked data from Norwegian health and population registries. STUDY POPULATION: All inhabitants of Norway aged 20-64 from 1 January 2009 to 1 April 2011, who were diagnosed with depression in general practice, and had reached three months consecutive sick leave (n = 13 624, 63.7% women). EXPOSURE: Depression care trajectories during the first three months of initial sick leave, identified using group-based multi-trajectory modeling. Types of depression care included were general practitioner (GP) consults, GP longer consults and/or talking therapy, antidepressant medication (MED), and specialized mental healthcare. OUTCOME: SRTW, measured by accumulated all-cause sickness absence days during two-year follow-up after initial sick leave, with cutoffs at 0, ≤ 30, and ≤ 90 days. ANALYSIS: Gender stratified generalized linear models, used to investigate the associations between depression care trajectories and SRTW, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and sick leave duration.

resultsFour depression care trajectory groups were identified: "GP 12 weeks" (37.2%), "GP 2 weeks" (18.6%), "GP & MED 12 weeks" (40.0%), and "Specialist, GP & MED 12 weeks" (8.7%). The "GP 12 weeks" group (reference) had the highest proportion attaining SRTW for both genders. Men in the "GP 2 weeks" group had a 12-14% lower likelihood for SRTW compared to the reference. Women in the "Specialist,GP & MED 12 weeks 12 weeks" group had a 19- 23% lower likelihood for SRTW compared to the reference.

conclusionThe association between depression care trajectories and SRTW varies by gender. However, trajectories involving follow-up by the GP, including both standard and longer consults and/or talking therapy over 12 weeks, showed the highest likelihood of SRTW for both genders. Enhancing GP resources could improve SRTW outcomes by allowing more frequent and longer consultations or talking therapy.

Indexed as

DepressionDepressive DisorderReturn to WorkSick LeaveAdultAntidepressive AgentsCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNorwayRegistriesYoung AdultAntidepressive AgentsDepressionDrug therapyGeneral practiceHealth services researchLarge database researchMental healthPsychotherapySick leaveSpecialized mental healthcareSustainable return-to-work

Identifiers

PMID39972279
PMCPMC11841190

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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.