The key features of the program include ; having trained personnel coordinate the RTW process , identifying and ranking barriers and solutions to RTW from the perspective of all important stakeholders , mediating practical solutions at the workplace and , empowering the injured worker in RTW decision-making .
Background Despite over 2 decades of research , the ability to prevent  work-related low back pain ( LBP ) and disability  remains elusive .
Recent research suggests that interventions that are focused at the workplace and incorporate the principals of participatory ergonomics and return-to-work ( RTW ) coordination can improve RTW and reduce disability following a work-related back injury .
Workplace interventions or programs to improve RTW  are difficult to design and implement given the various individuals and environments involved , each with their own unique circumstances .
Intervention mapping provides a framework for design ing and implementing complex interventions or programs .
The objective of this study is to design a best evidence RTW program for occupational LBP tailored to the Ontario setting using an intervention mapping approach .
Predictors and Modifiers of Treatment Effect Influencing Sick Leave in Subacute Low Back Pain Patients
Study Design . Modifying effects in multivariate analyses of a r and omized controlled trial . Objectives . To identify prognostic factors for the effect of a brief intervention ( “ modifiers ” ) at a spine clinic on return to work in patients with subacute low back pain . Summary of Background Data . A previous study of a brief intervention showed significant reduction of sick leave , compared with usual primary healthcare treatment . R and omized controlled trials give data only on the group as an average . Identifying prognostic factors that interact with the treatment ( “ modifiers ” ) may identify specific groups requiring this or other types of treatment . Methods . A total of 457 patients who had been sick-listed 8 to 12 weeks for low back pain were r and omized into an intervention group ( spine clinic with medical examination , information , reassurance , encouragement to engage in physical activity , n = 237 ) , and a control group ( primary health care , n = 220 ) . All subjects filled out question naires . Logistic regression and tests for interaction were used to identify prognostic factors and modifiers for return to work in the two groups , at 3 and 12 months of follow-up . Results . At 3 months of follow-up , the strongest modifying effect on return to work was the perception of constant back strain when working and beliefs about reduced ability to work . At 12 months , gastrointestinal complaints were the strongest modifier for the effect of the intervention . Conclusion . The spine clinic intervention seems to have a main effect on work absenteeism via interacting with the concerns of being unable to work
The key features of the program include ; having trained personnel coordinate the RTW process , identifying and ranking barriers and solutions to RTW from the perspective of all important stakeholders , mediating practical solutions at the workplace and , empowering the injured worker in RTW decision-making .
Background Despite over 2 decades of research , the ability to prevent  work-related low back pain ( LBP ) and disability  remains elusive .
Recent research suggests that interventions that are focused at the workplace and incorporate the principals of participatory ergonomics and return-to-work ( RTW ) coordination can improve RTW and reduce disability following a work-related back injury .
Workplace interventions or programs to improve RTW  are difficult to design and implement given the various individuals and environments involved , each with their own unique circumstances .
Intervention mapping provides a framework for design ing and implementing complex interventions or programs .
The objective of this study is to design a best evidence RTW program for occupational LBP tailored to the Ontario setting using an intervention mapping approach .