ArticleBMC public health2025
Evidence-based interventions to prevent sick leave: a scoping review of reviews.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Improving the Psychosocial Work Environment to Prevent Sickness Absence and Turnover in Nurses: A Systematic Review.Journal of nursing management · 2025Pooled it
- Economic Evaluation of an Indicated Prevention Strategy Focused on Future Long-Term Sickness Absence.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Article
- Line manager perspectives on workplace-based efforts to reduce sickness absence: a qualitative study.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2025Article
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
backgroundDespite the large body of research on interventions aimed at preventing sick leave, the evidence is scattered and a comprehensive overview is lacking. Therefore, this scoping review of reviews aims to provide an overview of evidence-based interventions to prevent sick leave.
methodsEmbase and PsycInfo were systematically searched for reviews published between January 2000-January 2024. A review was included when at least one of the included original intervention studies fulfilled three criteria: (1) target group was active workers not on sick leave, (2) sick leave was studied as outcome, and (3) the intervention was evaluated using a controlled design. Results were descriptively summarized and grouped based on the cause of sick leave and type of intervention they focused on. Furthermore, the effectiveness in preventing sick leave was reported.
resultsTwenty-eight reviews were included. Eight reviews focused on preventing sick leave due to physical health problems, ten on mental health problems, and ten on all-cause sick leave. Overall, the reviews identified a lack of effective interventions to prevent sick leave. However, multi-component interventions consisting of both individual and environmental components aimed at workers' lifestyle and aimed at mental health were promising to prevent sick leave in the general working population (e.g. workplace mental health promotion intervention). Furthermore, certain specific interventions targeting workers at risk were effective. Examples are cognitive behavioral therapy programs for workers with anxiety and depression, and consultation with occupational medical staff for workers at high risk for sick leave. Lastly, exercise programs were most effective in preventing sick leave due to physical health problems (e.g. exercise for low back pain prevention).
conclusionsThis scoping review identified reviews on sick leave prevention across a broad scope of health problems, types of interventions, and target groups. Although a few effective interventions for preventing sick leave were identified, the included reviews indicate a limited availability of effective interventions. Therefore, more randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up that include sick leave as outcome are needed. To develop more effective interventions, further research is needed on better integrating the workplace environment, and on understanding barriers and facilitators to successful implementation.
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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.