abstract: 'Introduction Within the labour force workers without an employment

  contract represent a vulnerable group. In most cases, when sick-listed,

  these workers have no workplace/employer to return to. Therefore, the

  aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness on return-to-work of

  a participatory return-to-work program compared to usual care for

  unemployed workers and temporary agency workers, sick-listed due to

  musculoskeletal disorders. Methods The workers, sick-listed for 2-8

  weeks due to musculoskeletal disorders, were randomly allocated to the

  participatory return-to-work program (n = 79) or to usual care (n = 84).

  The new program is a stepwise procedure aimed at making a

  consensus-based return-to-work plan, with the possibility of a temporary

  (therapeutic) workplace. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and

  12 months. The primary outcome measure was time to sustainable first

  return-to-work. Secondary outcome measures were duration of sickness

  benefit, functional status, pain intensity, and perceived health.

  Results The median duration until sustainable first return-to-work was

  161 days in the intervention group, compared to 299 days in the usual

  care group. The new return-to-work program resulted in a non-significant

  delay in RTW during the first 90 days, followed by a significant

  advantage in RTW rate after 90 days (hazard ratio of 2.24 {[}95\%

  confidence interval 1.28-3.94] P = 0.005). No significant differences

  were found for the measured secondary outcomes. Conclusions The newly

  developed participatory return-to-work program seems to be a promising

  intervention to facilitate work resumption and reduce work disability

  among temporary agency workers and unemployed workers, sick-listed due

  to musculoskeletal disorders.'
affiliation: 'Anema, JR (Corresponding Author), Vrije Univ Amsterdam Med Ctr, Dept
  Publ \& Occupat Hlth, EMGO Inst Hlth \& Care Res, POB 7057, NL-1007 MB Amsterdam,
  Netherlands.

  Vermeulen, Sylvia J.; Anema, Johannes R.; Schellart, Antonius J. M.; van Mechelen,
  Willem; van der Beek, Allard J., Vrije Univ Amsterdam Med Ctr, Dept Publ \& Occupat
  Hlth, EMGO Inst Hlth \& Care Res, NL-1007 MB Amsterdam, Netherlands.

  Vermeulen, Sylvia J.; Anema, Johannes R.; Schellart, Antonius J. M.; van Mechelen,
  Willem; van der Beek, Allard J., Res Ctr Insurance Med AMC UMCG UWV VUmc, Amsterdam,
  Netherlands.

  Knol, Dirk L., Vrije Univ Amsterdam Med Ctr, Dept Epidemiol \& Biostat, NL-1007
  MB Amsterdam, Netherlands.'
author: Vermeulen, Sylvia J. and Anema, Johannes R. and Schellart, Antonius J. M.
  and Knol, Dirk L. and van Mechelen, Willem and van der Beek, Allard J.
author-email: 's.vermeulen@vumc.nl

  h.anema@vumc.nl

  ton.schellart@vumc.nl

  d.knol@vumc.nl

  w.vanmechelen@vumc.nl

  a.vanderbeek@vumc.nl'
author_list:
- family: Vermeulen
  given: Sylvia J.
- family: Anema
  given: Johannes R.
- family: Schellart
  given: Antonius J. M.
- family: Knol
  given: Dirk L.
- family: van Mechelen
  given: Willem
- family: van der Beek
  given: Allard J.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1007/s10926-011-9291-7
eissn: 1573-3688
files: []
issn: 1053-0487
journal: JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL REHABILITATION
keywords: 'Work disability; Return-to-work interventions; Musculoskeletal

  disorders; Vulnerable worker populations; Worker without employment

  contract'
keywords-plus: 'LOW-BACK-PAIN; WORKPLACE INTERVENTION; OCCUPATIONAL-HEALTH; GRADED

  ACTIVITY; PRECARIOUS EMPLOYMENT; PROGNOSTIC-FACTORS; COST-EFFECTIVENESS;

  DISABILITY; DURATION; ABSENCE'
language: English
month: SEP
number: '3'
number-of-cited-references: '42'
orcid-numbers: 'van Mechelen, Willem/0000-0001-7136-6382

  van der Beek, Allard/0000-0002-4672-9062'
pages: 313-324
papis_id: 1f7a29750029a7e1846c306104fb036b
ref: Vermeulen2011participatoryreturnt
researcherid-numbers: 'van Mechelen, Willem/C-8463-2013

  '
times-cited: '41'
title: 'A Participatory Return-to-Work Intervention for Temporary Agency Workers and
  Unemployed Workers Sick-Listed Due to Musculoskeletal Disorders: Results of a Randomized
  Controlled Trial'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000297174100004
usage-count-last-180-days: '1'
usage-count-since-2013: '10'
volume: '21'
web-of-science-categories: Rehabilitation; Social Issues
year: '2011'