Contact to a Physician Specialized in Social Medicine and the Impact on Return to Workforce in Patients Suspected of Disc Herniation? - a Randomized Controlled Trial
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Enrollment
- 443
- Primary Endpoint
- Return to Work (register based information)
Study Overview
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 Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Supportive Care
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 59 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
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
- Not provided
Arms & Interventions
Control
Standard treatment from the Department of Rheumatology
Intervention
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.
Intervention: Rehabilitation program (Other)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Return to Work (register based information)
Time Frame: one year
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported
Investigators
Kirsten Fonager
Consultant
Aalborg University Hospital