NCT04975750

A Problem Solving Intervention Involving Employees at Risk of Sick Leave Due to Common Mental Disorders

Early Prevention of Sick Leave at the Workplace: Design of a Cluster-randomized Controlled Trial of a Problem-solving Intervention Among Employees With Common Mental Disorders

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 170 (actual)
• Sponsor: Karolinska Institutet · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 59 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The overall aim of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a problem-solving intervention for the prevention of sick leave among employees with early signs of CMDs. The intervention is delivered by first-line managers and a 30% reduction in sick leave days is expected in the experimental condition compared to treatment-as-usual, during the 12- months follow-up.

Detailed description

The overall aim of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a problem-solving intervention for the prevention of sick leave among employees with early signs of CMDs. The intervention is delivered by first-line managers and a 30% reduction in sick leave days is expected in the experimental condition compared to treatment-as-usual, during the 12- months follow-up. In an alongside process evaluation on the intervention's core activities, i.e. identification of early signs of CMDs, training of first-line managers in problem-solving and communication, we will: * evaluate whether and to what extent it was possible for the first-line managers to adhere to the intervention's protocol, * investigate the association between the intervention's core activities and number of sick leave days, * identify the facilitators and barriers to the intervention among first-line managers and employees and, * explore the first-line manager's organizational resources supporting their general managerial work. The study will be conducted in private sector companies, among first-line managers and blue-collar workers. The outcomes will be evaluated on both cluster- and individual participant level.

Conditions

• Mental Disorders

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Problem solving intervention	The intervention focuses on the individual employee and his/her work situation and work-private life balance. The following steps are implemented: inventory and prioritization of problems; brainstorming options and solutions; formulation of an action plan; evaluation, and follow-up. The intervention is carried out in about 3 planned meetings (30 - 45 min) between the manager and the employee. However, given the lack of research regarding the intervention delivered to this specific population and which dose that should be considered as beneficial as well as the complexities of the identified problems, the number of meetings is not specified
BEHAVIORAL	Care as usual	The managers and the employee have meetings regarding the employee and his/her work situation and work-private life balance. However, the managers are not educated in and do not use the problem solving intervention. They are instead instructed to use their usual procedures.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-08-16
• Primary completion: 2024-12-31
• Completion: 2024-12-31
• First posted: 2021-07-23
• Last updated: 2024-03-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Sweden