Results show systematic review ing of OTIs on RTW was challenging due to varying population s , different outcome measures , and poor descriptions of methodology .
There is evidence that OTIs as part of rehabilitation programs , increase RTW rates , although the method ological evidence of most studies is weak .
Background The primary aim of this review study was to gather evidence on the effectiveness in terms of return to work ( RTW ) of occupational therapy interventions ( OTIs ) in rehabilitation patients with non-congenital disorders .
A secondary aim was to be able to select the most efficient OTI .
[Long-term efficiency of orthopedic rehabilitation in chronic back pain--the integrative orthopedic psychosomatic concept (IopKo)].
UNLABELLED Chronic diseases of the musculoskeletal system rank first as causes of early retirement in Germany . Therefore orthopaedic rehabilitation has to identify patients with work-related problems and to promote return to work through differential treatment and vocational counselling . In the framework of the IopKo-Project such measures were developed and evaluated . These measures encompass : ( 1 ) an intensive and multiprofessional diagnostic pathway which allows early detection and treatment of mental disorders and job related problems ; ( 2 ) homogeneous treatment groups based on multiprofessional diagnostics ; ( 3 ) differential treatments , among these a multidisciplinary programme for patients with chronic low back pain or high risk of chronification ( Rückenfit ) ; ( 4 ) interactive training modules which mediate principles of performance and disability expertise , the legal bases of retirement pensioning , and measures to support occupational rehabilitation ; and ( 5 ) a work hardening training programme . METHOD To evaluate the effects of these measures in comparison to a control group with usual care , a prospect i ve longitudinal study was conducted . A total of 307 patients were assigned to the multidisciplinary in-patient treatment programme , whereas 176 patients in the control group had a st and ard rehabilitation programme .  RESULTS The results show positive moderate and strong effects in the intervention group concerning function , pain , psychic strains as well as the number of sick days and return to work rates 10 months after discharge . The effects in the intervention group exceeded the effects achieved in the control group . PATIENTS WITH HIGH RISK OF CHRONIFICATION : Beside the full sample , a subgroup of patients with chronic pain or high risk of chronification was analyzed , who had received a multidisciplinary functional restoration treatment . Also for this subgroup we found moderate and strong effects of treatment for function , psychic strains and sick days superior to those in the control group . CONCLUSION By this study we were able to show that orthopedic rehabilitation in a multimodal and multidisciplinary setting with a focus on activating and motivating therapy can have sustainable positive effects on pain , function and psychic well-being as well as on economic parameters . We interpret these persistent and superior effects in the treatment group ( 1 ) as a result of multiprofessional diagnosis and assignment which helps to subdivide the inhomogeneous group of patients with unspecific back pain into more homogeneous and thus more effective subgroups , ( 2 ) as a result of increased motivation by closed treatment groups , ( 3 ) as a result of intense and multilevel counselling of work related problems , ( 4 ) as a result of work hardening modules , and ( 5 ) as a result of direct and efficient treatment of psychic strains . The results also demonstrate the significance of inpatient rehabilitation , which will be efficient if differential treatment - adequate to the problems of the patient - is offered
Results show systematic review ing of OTIs on RTW was challenging due to varying population s , different outcome measures , and poor descriptions of methodology .
There is evidence that OTIs as part of rehabilitation programs , increase RTW rates , although the method ological evidence of most studies is weak .
Background The primary aim of this review study was to gather evidence on the effectiveness in terms of return to work ( RTW ) of occupational therapy interventions ( OTIs ) in rehabilitation patients with non-congenital disorders .
A secondary aim was to be able to select the most efficient OTI .