Early Coordinated Multidisciplinary Intervention to Prevent Sickness Absence and Labor Market Exclusion in Patients With Low Back Pain.

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Low Back Pain
• Interventions: Procedure: Usual care; Procedure: Multidisciplinary intervention

• Registration Number: NCT01690234
• Lead Sponsor: Back and Rehabilitation Center, Copenhagen

Brief Summary

In Denmark the number of patients, sick listed for more than four weeks is increasing, and patients suffering from musculoskeletal disorders make one third of the total amount of long-term absenteeism. Compared to other diagnoses, patients suffering from musculoskeletal diseases, including low back pain, are less likely to return to work after a period of sick leave. It seems that a multidisciplinary intervention, including cooperation between the health sector, the social sector and in the work place, has a positive effect on days off work due to musculoskeletal disorders and particularly low back pain. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a work oriented multidisciplinary intervention.

A randomized controlled trial will include 770 patients with low back pain. The study population consists of patients, who are sick listed or at risk of sick leave due to LBP.

The control group is treated with usual care in a team with participation of a physiotherapist, a chiropractor, a rheumatologist and a local employed social worker The Intervention group is treated with usual care and in addition intervention of a psychologist, an occupational physician, an ergonomist and a social worker from the local sickness benefit office. The treating physiotherapist will be the RTW-coordinator. Outcome will be reported at the end of treatment as well as 6 and 12 months follow up. The primary outcome is number of days of work. Secondary outcomes are disability, pain, and quality of life.

This large RCT study is testing the effectiveness of a preventive intervention targeting patients on short term sick leave or at risk being sick listed because of low back pain. We have developed a novel multidisciplinary team structure using the treating physiotherapist as the return to work coordinator, and having the case manager from the sickness benefit office participating in team meetings.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2009-09
• Status Verified: 2012-09
• Primary Completion: 2012-09
• Study First Submitted: 2012-09-19
• Study First Submitted QC: 2012-09-19
• Last Update Submitted: 2012-09-19
• Study First Posted: 2012-09-21
• Last Update Posted: 2012-09-21
• Study Completion: 2014-10

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 770

Inclusion Criteria

• Working age adults 18-65
• Low back pain (longer than 2 weeks)
• Sicklisted or at risk
• Employed or unemployed

Exclusion Criteria

• Severe comorbidity
• Pregnancy
• Difficulties in reading Danish language
• Application for early retirement

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Usual care	Usual care	Intervention from physiotherapist, chiropractor, rheumatologist and social worker.
Multidisciplinary intervention	Multidisciplinary intervention	Early coordinated multidisciplinary intervention. Physiotherapist, chiropractor, rheumatologist, psychologist, occupational physician, ergonomist and social worker/case manager.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number of days off work	12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Disability	12 months

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Back and Rehabilitation Center Copenhagen; 🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark