Biomaterial Database

Influence of modified work on return to work for employees on sick leave due to musculoskeletal complaints. 2005

Miranda van Duijn, and Freek Lötters, and Alex Burdorf

Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, NL-3000 Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE To determine which individual and work-related factors are associated with performing modified work and to evaluate the influence of modified work on the duration of sick leave and health-related outcomes among employees with musculoskeletal complaints. METHODS A prospective study with 12 months follow-up. METHODS In this prospective study a total of 164 employees on sick leave for 2-6 weeks due to musculoskeletal complaints completed 2 questionnaires. At baseline we gathered information about individual characteristics, physical and psychosocial workload, and disease specific and general health. The follow-up questionnaire, sent to respondents who returned to their original job on full duty, collected information about having performed modified work, and disease-specific and general health. RESULTS Employees were less likely to perform modified work when their regular work was characterized by frequent lifting and their relationship with colleagues was less than good. Employees were more likely to return to modified work when they had a better mental health, had prolonged periods of standing in their regular job and had less skill discretion. Duration of sick leave was influenced by chronicity of complaints and disability, but not by modified work. CONCLUSIONS Modified work, as the only advice given by a occupational health physician, did not influence the total duration of sick leave nor the improvement in health during sick leave for employees on sick leave due to musculoskeletal complaints.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009140	Musculoskeletal Diseases	Diseases of the muscles and their associated ligaments and other connective tissue and of the bones and cartilage viewed collectively.	Orthopedic Disorders,Musculoskeletal Disease,Orthopedic Disorder
D009426	Netherlands	Country located in EUROPE. It is bordered by the NORTH SEA, BELGIUM, and GERMANY. Constituent areas are Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, formerly included in the NETHERLANDS ANTILLES.	Holland,Kingdom of the Netherlands
D009786	Occupational Health Services	Health services for employees, usually provided by the employer at the place of work.	Employee Assistance Programs (Health Care),Employee Health Services,Employment-Based Services,Health Services, Employee,Health Services, Occupational,Services, Employee Health,Services, Employment-Based,Services, Occupational Health,Assistance Program, Employee (Health Care),Assistance Programs, Employee (Health Care),Employee Assistance Program (Health Care),Employee Health Service,Employment Based Services,Employment-Based Service,Health Service, Employee,Health Service, Occupational,Occupational Health Service,Program, Employee Assistance (Health Care),Programs, Employee Assistance (Health Care),Service, Employee Health,Service, Employment-Based,Service, Occupational Health,Services, Employment Based
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D011446	Prospective Studies	Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group.	Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D012050	Rehabilitation, Vocational	Training of the mentally or physically disabled in work skills so they may be returned to regular employment utilizing these skills.	Vocational Rehabilitation,Rehabilitations, Vocational,Vocational Rehabilitations
D004185	Disability Evaluation	Determination of the degree of a physical, mental, or emotional handicap. The diagnosis is applied to legal qualification for benefits and income under disability insurance and to eligibility for Social Security and workmen's compensation benefits.	Disability Evaluations,Evaluation, Disability,Evaluations, Disability