Effect Evaluation of a Workplace Intervention Targeting Subjective Health Complaints
Condition: Mental Disorders; Back Pain; Anxiety; Depression
MeSH terms: Mental Disorders
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Mental disorders is one of the most frequent causes of long-term sick leave and disability
      pensions in Norway, and there is a need for a comprehensive, coordinated response from health
      and social sectors at the country level to address the burden of mental disorders. The aim of
      this project is to investigate if a workplace intervention with the aim to increase coping of
      common mental health complaints and social support can reduce sick leave and improve health.
    

Detailed description: 
      The atWork intervention was established in 2007 as a new stepped-care approach to
      musculoskeletal complaints. The intervention consisted of workplace information meetings
      about musculoskeletal complaint to all employees and peer support. The atWork intervention
      targeting musculoskeletal complaints reduced sick leave and improved health in a randomized
      controlled trial. The atWork intervention has now been further developed with the aim to
      increase effect on sick leave and health. The intervention is now extended to include
      information about mental health complaints, in addition to a management course. The major
      societal costs and the negative consequences common mental health complaints induce underline
      the importance of testing if atWork is an effective way of reducing these consequences.
    

Intervention name(s): The new atWork intervention; The original atWork intervention
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): atWork is a cognitive intervention, and uses a nondirective delivery approach. It does not prescribe any change in lifestyle, but aims at establishing an understanding of common complaints and what to do when pain and health complaints occur. All information is based on the non-injury model, where pain and complaints are not signs of injury caused by wrongdoing or "inappropriate" behavior. The consistent take home message from all parts of the intervention is that keeping up usual activities, including going to work, is beneficial for health and recovery. This group will receive one management course, two workplace courses for all employees targeting mild mental disorders and nonspecific musculoskeletal complaints, and one reflection and review meeting.; This group will receive three workplace courses for all employees targeting nonspecific musculoskeletal complaints, and peer support. Peer support involves selecting a peer advisor at the workplace. A peer advisor is a fellow worker without former medical training who as part of the atWork intervention receive more in-depth medical knowledge and training about nonspecific musculoskeletal complaints. The peer advisors role is to give social support and to use their local knowledge of the work place to facilitate staying at work for colleagues with health complaints.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Sick leave; Mental Health; Coping; Social Support; Subjective Health Complaints