Research aimed at reducing the risk of sick leave due to common mental disorders among a working-age population
At present, common mental disorders (depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders and stress-related ill-health) sick leave are the most common cause of sick leave with benefits in Sweden. Sick leave due to common mental disorders are longer and more often recurrent compared to other diagnosis.
Our research is aiming at the development, and evaluation of interventions that can be used to reduce the risk of sick leave, or increase return to work among a working-age population. The interventions are provided at workplaces or within health care, e.g. primary care. In addition, we evaluate hos new routines, such as cooperation between employer, employee and the primary care can be gainfully developed and implemented.
Prevention of sick leave at the workplace: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a problem-solving intervention among employees with common mental disorders (PRIME)
We will test a workplace intervention targeting first-line managers.
The aims are to
1) evaluate the problem solving intervention鈥檚 effect on sick leave among employees at risk of future sick leave due to common mental disorders,
2) evaluate whether and to what extent it was possible to adhere to the intervention鈥檚 protocol, the relationship between the intervention鈥檚 key elements and the effect outcome, and to identify the facilitators and barriers to the intervention among first-line managers and employees,
3) explore the first-line manager's organizational resources and the employee鈥檚 working/private life-balance and the impact on the effect outcome.
The study will be conducted as a randomized controlled trial in private sector companies. Funded by AFA Insurance. The project runs until the end of 2023.
Publication:
Bj枚rk Br盲mberg E, et al., 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. BMC public health 2021;21(1):1756-.