NCT02396797

Effect Evaluation of a Workplace Intervention Targeting Subjective Health Complaints

Effect Evaluation of a Workplace Intervention Targeting Subjective Health Complaints on Sick Leave, Coping, Health, Job Satisfaction and Social Support

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 1,011 (actual)
• Sponsor: NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 67 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

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.

Conditions

• Mental Disorders
• Back Pain
• Anxiety
• Depression

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	The new atWork intervention	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.
BEHAVIORAL	The original atWork intervention	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.

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-01-01
• Primary completion: 2018-05-01
• Completion: 2018-05-01
• First posted: 2015-03-24
• Last updated: 2018-05-15

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Norway