A Problem Solving Based Intervention for Facilitating Return-to-work Among People Suffering From Common Mental Disorders
Condition: Depression; Anxiety Disorders; Adjustment Disorders; Common Mental Disorder
MeSH terms: Depression; Anxiety Disorders; Mental Disorders; Psychotic Disorders; Adjustment Disorders
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Problem solving based intervention involving the workplace has shown promising effects on
      return-to-work among persons with common mental disorders. A key element is cooperation
      between the person on sick leave, the participant's employer and health care professionals.
      The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of a problem solving based
      intervention in the Swedish primary health care system on an employed population on sick
      leave due to common mental disorders. Cluster randomized controlled trial. The investigators
      hypothesize that:

      Participants who have undergone the work-related problem solving based intervention will have
      fewer total days on sick leave than the participants who receive treatment as usual at 18
      months.

      Participants who receive the work-related problem solving based intervention will have fewer
      recurrent periods of sick leave than the participants who receive treatment as usual at 18
      months.

      Participants who receive the work-related problem solving therapy intervention will score
      better on the secondary outcomes than the participants in the control group.

      Population: Employed, aged 18 - 59, on short-term sick leave (min. 2 - max. 12 weeks) due to
      common mental disorders.

      Intervention: Work-related problem solving based intervention in addition to treatment as
      usual. The intervention will be given by rehabilitation coordinators on max. five occasions
      and includes: making an inventory of problems and/or opportunities related to return-to-work;
      identifying the support needed to implement the solutions; a meeting with the person on sick
      leave, his/her employer and the rehabilitation coordinator to discuss solutions; making an
      action plan and evaluation.

      Control: The control group will receive care as usual (i.e. cognitive behavioral therapy
      and/or medical treatment, and meeting with a rehabilitation coordinator if this is a part of
      care as usual at the primary health care centre). A total of 220 persons on sick leave and 30
      rehabilitation coordinators will be included.

      Primary outcome: total number of days on sick leave at 18 months after baseline. A parallel
      process evaluation will be conducted to examine: to what extent it is possible to implement
      problem-solving therapy according to the protocol; the relationship between the key elements
      of problem-solving intervention and the effect outcome; how the participants perceive the
      intervention.
    


Intervention name(s): Problem solving based intervention; Care as usual
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Problem solving based intervention; Medical treatment, or behavioral therapy or a coordination of behavioral therapy and medical treatment. Meeting with a rehabilitation coordinator.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Adjustment disorders; Anxiety disorders; Depression; Mental disorders; Interventional study; Primary health care; Problem solving; Randomized controlled trial; Return to work; Sick leave