Work Interventions to Improve Employment Outcomes for Persons With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis
Condition: Osteoarthritis; Rheumatoid Arthritis
MeSH terms: Arthritis; Osteoarthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      To determine if worksite based functional evaluation/intervention provided by occupational
      therapists improves employment outcomes for persons with arthritis.
    

Detailed description: 
      Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work-related disability with
      significant financial costs associated with the loss of work for persons with arthritis. Many
      persons with arthritis have physical impairments which affect their ability to work, with 50%
      of persons with rheumatoid arthritis leaving employment within 10 years of diagnosis. Risk
      factors predicting employability, length of employment and worksite accommodations for
      workers with arthritis have been well documented. Variables predicting work cessation include
      blue collar jobs and more physically demanding jobs, an older age of the worker, lower
      education, perceived job strain, social support of co-workers and supervisors, job
      satisfaction, and self-efficacy. Recent studies of self-report by persons with arthritis
      identified the use of worksite accommodations such as others providing assistance at work,
      job autonomy, time flexibility, and use of special equipment. Unknown is the effect of
      on-site work interventions. The need exists to determine if the provision of strategies for
      physical accommodations, worksite modifications, and assistive technologies at the
      individual's job site improves the ability of persons with arthritis to continue working.

      This is a randomized clinical trial to investigate the efficacy of a worksite based
      intervention to improve the employment outcomes of persons with rheumatoid (RA) or
      osteoarthritis (OA). Persons with RA or OA who have arthritis related work difficulties will
      have an occupational therapist provide a worksite evaluation and subsequent training in
      strategies to accommodate arthritis related physical impairments and improve job performance
      and satisfaction. Participants in control group will be provided with educational printed
      materials related for a self-initiated worksite evaluation of musculoskeletal and
      environmental risks at the worksite for persons with arthritis.
    

Intervention name(s): On-site work evaluation; Educational material
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Researchers will measure the effects of worksite assessment through an on-site work evaluation by an occupational therapist on a person's job satisfaction, capacity to perform work duties, income, health status, and psychological well-being. The scope of the information will be through one-to-one contact and an individualized work plan. The strategies will include recommendations for work behaviors, ergonomic and body mechanics considerations, and modifications for job tasks, equipment, and space.; Researchers will measure the effects of worksite assessment through educational materials on a person's job satisfaction, capacity to perform work duties, income, health status, and psychological well-being. The scope of the information will be through educational materials to develop strategies to compensate. The strategies will include recommendations for work behaviors, ergonomic and body mechanics considerations, and modifications for job tasks, equipment, and space.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: employment; work