Article

Long-term sickness absence among workers is a major problem in
industrialised countries.
The aim of the review is to determine whether
interventions involving the workplace are more effective and cost-effective at
helping employees on sick leave return to work than those that do not involve the
workplace at all. METHODS: A systematic review of controlled intervention studies
and economic evaluations. Sixteen electronic databases and grey literature
sources were searched, and reference and citation tracking was performed on
included publications. A narrative synthesis was performed. RESULTS: Ten articles
were found reporting nine trials from Europe and Canada, and four articles were
found evaluating the cost-effectiveness of interventions. The population in eight
trials suffered from back pain and related musculoskeletal conditions.
Interventions involving employees, health practitioners and employers working
together, to implement work modifications for the absentee, were more
consistently effective than other interventions. Early intervention was also
found to be effective. The majority of trials were of good or moderate quality.
Economic evaluations indicated that interventions with a workplace component are
likely to be more cost effective than those without. CONCLUSION: Stakeholder
participation and work modification are more effective and cost effective at
returning to work adults with musculoskeletal conditions than other
workplace-linked interventions, including exercise.

Langue : ANGLAIS