Contact to a Physician Specialized in Social Medicine and Return to Work

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Musculoskeletal Disease; Return to Work
• Interventions: Other: Rehabilitation program

• Registration Number: NCT03010384
• Lead Sponsor: Kirsten Fonager

Brief Summary

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a rehabilitation program including a physician specialized in social medicine parallel to treatment for suspected spinal disc herniation.

Detailed Description

In a two-year time period (2011 to 2012) 443 patients of suspected of disc herniation and risk of low work ability - based on questionnaires participated in a randomized control trial. The patients were randomized to either the intervention group (n=220) or control group (n=223). The intervention group were invited to the Department of Social Medicine two to four weeks after their first contact to Department of Rheumatology for a consultation with a physician specialized in social medicine. Together with the patient a return-to-work (RTW) schedule was made to ascertain the need for contact to the workplace (to adjust work functions), municipality, general practitioner or short-term supportive consultations with a psychologist. Throughout the intervention, the patients received their usual treatment from the Department of Rheumatology like patients from the control group. Outcome was return to the work force at one year follow up using information from a national registry.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2011-01
• Primary Completion: 2012-12
• Study Completion: 2014-07
• Study First Submitted: 2016-12-06
• Status Verified: 2017-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-01-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-01-03
• Study First Posted: 2017-01-05
• Last Update Posted: 2017-01-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 443

Inclusion Criteria

• age ≥ 18 and < 60 years old,
• not receiving disability pension and not on maternity leave.
• sick leave over the past year for more than ten days
• low self-rated work ability for the next two years
• health anxiety

Exclusion Criteria

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention	Rehabilitation program	Consultation with a physician specialized in social medicine. The consultation lasted about one hour. Together with the patient a return-to-work (RTW) schedule was made to ascertain the need for contact to the workplace (to adjust work functions), municipality, general practitioner or short-term supportive consultations with a psychologist. If relevant, patients were offered up till 5 sessions with a psychologist.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Return to Work (register based information)	one year