Photo-supported Conversations About Well-being

The aim is to to investigate photo-supported conversations about well-being by the intervention Be WellTM in addition to care as usual within primary care, compared to a control group, for patients with stress-related diagnosis. The intention is to examine the outcomes measures regarding exhaustion, balance of activities in everyday life, client satisfaction, depression and anxiety quality of life, sense of coherence and work ability. The study has been approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board.

The project has a quasi-experimental design using mixed methods. A total of 70 patients (35 to the intervention group and 35 to the control group) will be included. Inclusion criteria are patients with stress-related disorder in primary care, aged 20-67 years, who are on sick leave or risk being on sick leave. Exclusion criteria are severe somatic disorders, neuropsychiatric diagnosis, psychosis and language or cognitive problems that implies difficulties to answer questionnaires.

After informed consent, the intervention group receive, in addition to care as usual, photo-supported conversations about well-being, that is conducted over time for increased training. The intervention involves 12 sessions takes part during 12-15weeks. With cell phones the patients photograph what they relate to well-being in everyday life. The photos are enlarged and used for reflecting conversations with their therapist.

Before and after intervention, and 6 months after intervention the patient meets a project assistant and respond questionnaires as well as qualitative interviews. The control group has the same measure points. Outcome measures are compared with a control group who receive care as usual in primary care. Data will be collected by questionnaires for exhaustion, balance of activities in everyday life, client satisfaction, depression and anxiety, quality of life, sense of coherence and work ability. Qualitative data from interviews about life situation and treatment experiences will also be analyzed. An additional aim is to investigate how therapists experience performing a health promoting intervention, collected from qualitative interviews.

The project is involving the Kronoberg County Council and Jönköping County Council. Gatekeepers will recruit patients and occupational therapists will perform the intervention. The research team comprise of researchers from Kronoberg County Council, Linnaeus University, Jönköping University and University of Gothenburg.

The project has the following research questions:

* How are the participants' work ability, health and well-being affected by the photo-supported intervention?
* Primary outcome is self-rated symptoms of exhaustion.
* Secondary outcomes are self-rated balance of activities in everyday life, client satisfaction, depression and anxiety, quality of life, sense of coherence and work ability.

The interviews deals about:

* How do the participants perceive their life situation, within as well as beyond paid work, before and after the intervention?
* How do the participants perceive their participation photo-supported conversations about well-being intervention (Be Well)?
* How do the therapists perceive the delivery of the intervention "Be Well"?

Non-parametric statistics will be used for analyzing quantitative data. Thematic, phenomenological, qualitative content analyses and semiotic methods will be used for qualitative data.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* stress related disorder F43.8 (ICD-10)
* stress related disorder F43.9 (ICD-10)
* on sick leave
* risk being on sick leave

Exclusion Criteria:

* severe somatic disorders
* neuropsychiatric diagnosis
* psychosis
* language problems that implies difficulties to answer questionnaires
* cognitive problems that implies difficulties to answer questionnaires