NCT06543732

Vital@Work: Reintegration Program for Employees with Stress-related Complaints

Vital@Work: a Personalized Reintegration Program for Employees with Stress-related Complaints

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 208 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA) · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 68 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The objective of this study, Vital@Work reintegration program, is to support sick-listed workers with stress-related complaints in their return to work based on a personalized program. Therefore, the aim of this study is test whether participants supported by a tailored eHealth program, and if needed, additionally supported by a structured and stepwise Participatory Approach (PA) involving the sick-listed worker, their direct supervisor and a neutral party, show a faster and sustainable return to work as compared to participants in the control condition. This program is investigated in four different organizations, which differ in sector, size (small and large organizations), type of organization (private or public) and type of work.

Detailed description

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a program, incorporating diverse components, to improve sustainable return to work, stress-related outcomes and cost effectiveness among sick-listed workers with stress-related complaints compared to usual care. The study design is a randomized controlled trial, including an intervention and control group. Sick-listed workers between 2 - 12 weeks sick, in the intervention group receive a tailored eHealth program based on their questions on a distress screener, if needed followed by the Participatory Approach (PA). Sick-listed workers in the control group receive standard practice and general information about return to work. If sick-listed workers did not return to work after 6 weeks in the eHealth program, the PA starts. The PA is a structured and stepwise procedure that involves the sick-listed worker, their direct supervisor, and a neutral party (either physically present or working in the background) to guide the conversation. This collaborative process aims to identify workplace-related bottlenecks, and subsequently develop a consensus-based return to work plan based on a strong commitment of both the sick listed worker and employer. This study offers two different forms of PA: individual work modifications (guided by a neutral process facilitator) and job coaching (guided by the employer, with the process facilitator providing support in the background). If sick-listed workers are experiencing stress-related complaints originating from work, they will be offered individual work modifications. Conversely, if the issues are unrelated to work, the worker will receive job coaching. As information on this tailored PA approach is lacking, the effectiveness of this approach is investigated. By combining these different intervention components, the investigators strive to fill the research gap concerning the identification of an effective re-integration program for sick-listed workers suffering from stress-related complaints. Participants will be followed for 1 year.

Conditions

• Return to Work
• Mental Health

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Return to work program	The eHealth modules focus on psychoeducation, perceptions of return to work based on a personal plan including problem-solving exercises, relapse prevention, and continuous monitoring. If needed, followed by the participatory approach, a stepwise, collaborative approach to analyse and solve bottlenecks to develop a consensus-based plan for return to work.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-01-08
• Primary completion: 2026-09-01
• Completion: 2026-12-01
• First posted: 2024-08-09
• Last updated: 2025-01-30

Locations

4 sites across 1 country: Netherlands