Introdução:Os transtornos mentais (TM) são a terceira princip al causa de incapacidade laborativa de longa duração no Brasil. Existem dive rsos fatores que influenciam o tempo para o retorno ao trabalho (RT) e a efetividade da reint egração laboral após um episódio de afastamento por TM. É considerado um retorno ao tra balho eficaz (RTE) quando o trabalhador se mantém no exercício das suas ativida des profissionais por prazo superior a trinta dias após a volta ao trabalho. No Brasil não há estudos que descrevam fatores associados ao RT de trabalhadores afastados por TM incapacitante. Objetivo: Analisar os fatores que influenciam o tempo para o retorno ao t rabalho após afastamento de longa duração por TM e a efetividade da reintegração do trabalhad or após o período de afastamento. Métodos:Um estudo longitudinal realizado na cidade de São Paulo entre 2014-2016 que incluiu trabalhadores do mercado formal que requeri am benefício por incapacidade. Foram conduzidas quatro fases: a) adaptação transcultural de um instrumento holandês que avalia a expectativa para o RT entre afastados por TM (N=411 ); b) coleta de informações sociodemográficas, comportamento de risco para a sa úde, características do trabalho, condições de saúde e histórico previdenciário (N=20 4); c) entrevista sobre o processo de RT na empresa (N=128); d) verificação da situação do t rabalhador no mercado de trabalho após 365 dias do afastamento. Foram realizadas análise d e sobrevida para verificar os fatores que influenciavam o tempo para o RT e regressão logísti ca para analisar os fatores que contribuíam para o RTE. Resultados: O grupo da fase longitudinal era composto na sua maioria por mulheres (71 por cento ), pessoas com idade infer ior a 40 anos (68 por cento ), alta escolaridade (78 por cento ), trabalhadores em atividade de atendimento (4 4,1 por cento ) e diagnóstico de quadro depressivo (52 por cento ). O tempo médio para o RT foi de qu ase seis meses entre os 63 por cento que tentaram voltar ao trabalho no período do estudo. O s fatores que influenciaram um retorno mais precoce foram: faixa etária entre 30-39 anos, escolaridade de mais de 12 anos de estudo, baixo consumo de álcool e ausência de sintomas ansi osos. A taxa de efetividade entre os que tentaram o retorno foi de 74 por cento . Os fatores que influ enciaram o retorno ao trabalho eficaz foram: maior tempo de trabalho na função, menor exp ectativa sobre o retorno ao trabalho durante o afastamento e a realização de exame médic o de retorno ao trabalho. A avaliação psicométrica da versão para o português brasileiro do questionário de autoeficácia sobre o trabalho após afastamento por TM demonstrou substan cial (0,64) a quase perfeita (0,86) estabilidade temporal ajustada por prevalência, boa confiabilidade interna (0,76) e estrutura bidimensional. Conclusão: Fatores relacionados a características sociodemogr áficas, ao comportamento de risco para a saúde e à condição cl ínica no afastamento influenciaram o tempo para o RT. Fatores relacionados a aspectos ps icológicos, características da história ocupacional e o processo de acolhimento do trabalha dor na empresa influenciam a efetividade do retorno. A versão para o português brasileiro do questionário de expectativa sobre o trabalho demonstrou ser adequada para o uso em popu lações similares à da pesquisa. Desejamos que o estudo possa contribuir para a disc ussão e formatação de ações públicas e privadas voltadas tanto para a prevenção terciária, quanto para intervenções em nível primário e secundário da atenção integral à saúde mental dos trabalhadores / Introduction: Mental disorders (MD) are the third leading cause of long-term disability in Brazil. There are several factors that influence th e time to return to work (RTW) and the effectiveness of labor reintegration after an episo de of sick leave due to MD. When workers remain working more than 30 days after back to work is known as sustained return-to-work (S-RTW). In Brazil, there are no studies describing factors associated with the RTW of workers in sick leave due to MD. Objectives: To analyze factors associated to time to RTW after an episode of long-term sickness absence due to MD and the effectiveness of those RTW. Methods: A longitudinal study conducted in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, from 2014- 2016 included formal workers requiring disability b enefit. We had four phases: a) the cross- cultural adaptation of a Dutch instrument that asse sses the RTW-SE among absentees due to MD (N = 411); b) collecting demographic information , health risk behaviors, work characteristics, health conditions and social secur ity history (N = 204); c) interview on the employer s RTW process (N = 128); check worker\'s si tuation in the labor market after 365 days of absence. Survival analysis was performed to identify factors influencing the time for the RTW and multiple logistic regression to analyze the factors that contributed to the S- RTW. Results: The group of longitudinal study was composed mostl y by women (71 per cent ), people aged under 40 (68 per cent ), 12 or more years of edu cation (78 per cent ), customer service jobs (44,1 per cent ) and diagnosed as depressed (52 per cent ). The avera ge time for the RTW was almost six months among the 63 per cent who tried the resumption of wo rk activities. Factors that influence an earlier return were: aged between 30-39 years, 12 o r more years of education, low alcohol intake and lack of anxiety symptoms. The effectiven ess rate among those who tried to return was 74 per cent . Factors influencing the sustained RTW were job working time, return-to-work self- efficacy (RTW-SE) in baseline, and to be evaluated by a physician before RTW. The psychometric evaluation for Brazilian Portuguese ve rsion of RTW-SE questionnaire showed substantial (0.64) to almost perfect (0.86) tempora l stability adjusted by prevalence, good reliability (0.76) and a two dimensions structure. Conclusion: Factors related to sociodemographic characteristics, risk health behav iors and medical condition influenced the time for RTW. Factors related to psychological and occupational aspects, and also the RTW process influence the effectiveness of the return. The Brazilian Portuguese version for RTW- SE showed to be suitable for use in similar populat ions of our research. We hope to contribute to the discussion and to stimulate public and priva te intervention policies on tertiary prevention, focused in early RTW, and also in prima ry and secondary level of integral attention to the workers mental health

<p>Vi har gjort en fallstudie av hur rehabiliteringen har fungerat för två kvinnor anställda i en svensk kommun. Syftet med denna studie har varit att ta reda på om rehabilitering tillbaka till arbetslivet skiljer sig åt mellan två kvinnor med liknande medicinska besvär i denna kommun. Kvinnor i vårdyrket får ofta förslitningsskador och som följd blir många sjukskrivna. Vi vet av tidigare forskning att det är yngre män i städer som återgår till arbete i högre grad än kvinnor. På landsbyggden kommer sällan kvinnor tillbaka till arbetslivet efter sjukskrivning. Vi har i denna studie intervjuat två kvinnor med ryggbesvär som arbetar inom äldreomsorgen  och en arbetsledare (AL). Vi har studerat kvinnornas väg tillbaka till arbete från sjukskrivning. Vi har jämfört likheter och olikheter i deras process. Vi använde oss av en kvalitativ insamlingsmetod och fallstudie som undersökningsmetod. Det vi kom fram till var att för en kvinna gick det fort att komma tillbaka till arbete och för den andra tog det längre tid trotts likartade förutsättningar. Olikheter fanns i kontakten med arbetsledaren (AL). I ett fall var Försäkringskassan (FK) drivand att kvinnan skulle pensioneras och i det andra fallet att kvinnan skulle åter till arbete.</p>

<p>Musculoskeltal pain is the most common diagnosis for being on sick leave two months or longer in Sweden. The societal costs have been estimated at almost 30 billion Swedish kronor per year. Research aimed at improving occupational rehabilitation is therefore crucial.</p><p>In Study I a multidisciplinary cognitive-behavioral in-patient program conducted at a rehabilitation clinic was empirically evaluated. A randomized controlled trial with 36 chronic pain patients showed a difference in favor of the treated patients compared to their controls on measures of occupational training and activity level at a 1-month follow-up. A consecutive trial with 85 chronic patients showed a decrease in sick leave, pain intensity, depression, and use of analgesics, and an increase in life control and physical fitness from pre-treatment to a 2-month and a 1-year follow-up. Study II was a randomized controlled evaluation of a return-to-work focused cognitive-behavioral out-patient program with a 6-month follow-up conducted by a psychologist. Effects were compared over 36 pain patients on short-term sick leave (2-6 months) and 36 patients on long-term sick leave (>12 months). The treated patients on short-tem sick leave reduced their sick leave and returned to work more than their controls. They also improved their abilities to control and decrease the pain more. However, the patients on long-term sick leave did not improve on any outcome variables compared to their controls. In Study III a questionnaire aimed at identifying obstacles to return to work was developed and evaluated. The questionnaire was administrated to 154 chronic pain patients and was found to predict sick leave nine months after assessment. Important obstacles were perceived prognosis of a work return, social support at work, physical workload and harmfulness of work, pain intensity, and depression.</p><p>In conclusion, this thesis shows that cognitive-behavioral treatment focused on return to work is effective in helping chronic musculoskeletal pain patients back to work. A questionnaire developed to identify obstacles to return to work was shown to predict sick leave. </p>

Background The psychosocial work environment affects our health (e.g., sick leave and mortality rates). Research on psychosocial work factors and burnout has focused on specific workplaces or occupations and rarely evaluated in the general population or used longitudinal designs. In Sweden, the diagnosis of exhaustion disorder (closely related to burnout) is a common cause for sick leave. The effects of psychosocial work environments on the process of returning to work has not been studied in this specific patient group. The overall aims of this thesis were to (1) assess the level of burnout in a working general population and investigate the importance of psychosocial work factors and sex on burnout, and (2) study reduction of sick leave and experiences of returning to work in burnout patients, with special attention towards psychosocial work factors. Methods An occupationally active subset (n=1000) of the 2004 Northern Sweden MONICA survey was used in a cross-sectional study. A five-year follow-up of this population was also performed (n=626). Level of burnout was measured using the Shirom Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ). Burnout patients were studied for the second thesis aim. A cohort of 117 patients from the REST project was investigated using a baseline questionnaire and sick leave data at two-year follow-up. Grounded Theory was used for an in-depth interview and analysis of 12 employed patients. Results Cross-sectional results from the working general population showed that women have higher levels of burnout than men. In both sexes, work demands, work control, and job insecurity were associated with burnout levels. Among women, education, socioeconomic position, work object, and working hours were also important. Work factors in combination with situational life factors explained about half the difference in burnout level between women and men. Longitudinal results show that burnout levels decrease with age in both sexes, although the changes occur at an earlier age for men. A constant job strain, increased job insecurity, and a worsened economic situation are related to an increase in burnout level. When studying risk factor accumulation, each additional risk factor exposure increases the burnout level. In burnout patients, low work control and use of covert coping towards supervisors and workmates predicts unchanged sick leave levels after a twoyear period. Borderline significance was found between work overcommitment and reduced sick leave. Both personal resources and external support are described as important factors when regaining the ability to work. Perceived validation, insights into the situation and adaptive coping skills increase the chance of regaining the ability to work. External support, particularly from the workplace, is also important. Conclusion There are links between psychosocial work factors and burnout levels in a working general population and sick leave levels in burnout patients. Socioeconomic position and working conditions are important for the level of burnout among working women. In the working population, age differences occur between the sexes; women reduce their burnout levels later in life than men. In the burnout patient population, coping patterns and control at work predict sick leave levels after two years. Both internal resources and external support are important when burnout patients describe the process of regaining the ability to work. The workplace and the work environment are important in preventing working people from becoming burned out and in easeing return to work after sick leave. A person’s coping pattern is also important in reduction of sick leave.

Musculoskeltal pain is the most common diagnosis for being on sick leave two months or longer in Sweden. The societal costs have been estimated at almost 30 billion Swedish kronor per year. Research aimed at improving occupational rehabilitation is therefore crucial. In Study I a multidisciplinary cognitive-behavioral in-patient program conducted at a rehabilitation clinic was empirically evaluated. A randomized controlled trial with 36 chronic pain patients showed a difference in favor of the treated patients compared to their controls on measures of occupational training and activity level at a 1-month follow-up. A consecutive trial with 85 chronic patients showed a decrease in sick leave, pain intensity, depression, and use of analgesics, and an increase in life control and physical fitness from pre-treatment to a 2-month and a 1-year follow-up. Study II was a randomized controlled evaluation of a return-to-work focused cognitive-behavioral out-patient program with a 6-month follow-up conducted by a psychologist. Effects were compared over 36 pain patients on short-term sick leave (2-6 months) and 36 patients on long-term sick leave (&gt;12 months). The treated patients on short-tem sick leave reduced their sick leave and returned to work more than their controls. They also improved their abilities to control and decrease the pain more. However, the patients on long-term sick leave did not improve on any outcome variables compared to their controls. In Study III a questionnaire aimed at identifying obstacles to return to work was developed and evaluated. The questionnaire was administrated to 154 chronic pain patients and was found to predict sick leave nine months after assessment. Important obstacles were perceived prognosis of a work return, social support at work, physical workload and harmfulness of work, pain intensity, and depression. In conclusion, this thesis shows that cognitive-behavioral treatment focused on return to work is effective in helping chronic musculoskeletal pain patients back to work. A questionnaire developed to identify obstacles to return to work was shown to predict sick leave.

Rehabilitation after brain injury is often a process which is spread over several years and runs through different phases. After sub acute in-patient rehabilitation a community based post-acute rehabilitation can follow. In this late phase after injury the rehabilitation focuses on reintegration into the community through a return to work and participation in other occupations in society. The overall aim of this dissertation was to study the long-term outcome of brain injury, with a special emphasis on the return to everyday domestic and productive occupations and the connection these have to life satisfaction as a whole. The aim was also to describe and understand the lived experience of the consequences of brain injury in these areas. This dissertation comprises four studies on different aspects of the long-term outcome of those who have had a brain injury. In a sample of 56 people, the value of occupational therapy assessments as predictors of an eventual return to work was investigated. In a longitudinal follow-up study, the life satisfaction of the participants (n 36) was reported and its correlation to a return to work was evaluated. Interviews were conducted (n 10) to explore the main characteristics of the meaning of work after brain injury in ten respondents. And, finally, in the fourth study, 157 people reported their participation in community activities. The extent of the correspondence between the level of participation and life satisfaction was calculated. The findings showed that occupational therapy assessments were useful in predicting a return to work in the late phase of the recovery after brain injury. A combination of assessments on the level of body function with assessments on activity level appeared to comprise the best predictive model. In two different studies the reported life satisfaction was found to be significantly lower than the level of life satisfaction in a sample of healthy Swedes for almost all domains. When comparing life satisfaction at two points in time with an interval of three years between them in the longitudinal study, no significant improvement was found. There was no difference reported by the participants for their overall life satisfaction regardless of whether they were back at work or in education, or not. On the other hand, participation in daily occupations in a wider perspective was found to have a positive impact on satisfaction with life as a whole. However, half or more than half of the participants claimed that their participation was restricted except for the items self-care and mobility, where a higher degree of participation was reported. The meaning of work after the brain injury had changed: Work had taken on a new place in life and the importance of work had decreased. In contrast, the social dimension of work had expanded in importance. After the brain injury, the perception of the participants’ own competence and work identity had changed and the respondents described their striving to return to normality. To conclude, brain injury has a lasting effect on a person’s life, even many years after the injury; consequently there is need for rehabilitation in this late phase. Life satisfaction, which is often used as an overriding goal for rehabilitation, did not improve over time. This finding raises the question of whether life satisfaction is too broad a concept and/or insufficiently sensitive to improvements. There is need for further research in this area to clarify the factors that have an impact on life satisfaction.

Vi har gjort en fallstudie av hur rehabiliteringen har fungerat för två kvinnor anställda i en svensk kommun. Syftet med denna studie har varit att ta reda på om rehabilitering tillbaka till arbetslivet skiljer sig åt mellan två kvinnor med liknande medicinska besvär i denna kommun. Kvinnor i vårdyrket får ofta förslitningsskador och som följd blir många sjukskrivna. Vi vet av tidigare forskning att det är yngre män i städer som återgår till arbete i högre grad än kvinnor. På landsbyggden kommer sällan kvinnor tillbaka till arbetslivet efter sjukskrivning. Vi har i denna studie intervjuat två kvinnor med ryggbesvär som arbetar inom äldreomsorgen  och en arbetsledare (AL). Vi har studerat kvinnornas väg tillbaka till arbete från sjukskrivning. Vi har jämfört likheter och olikheter i deras process. Vi använde oss av en kvalitativ insamlingsmetod och fallstudie som undersökningsmetod. Det vi kom fram till var att för en kvinna gick det fort att komma tillbaka till arbete och för den andra tog det längre tid trotts likartade förutsättningar. Olikheter fanns i kontakten med arbetsledaren (AL). I ett fall var Försäkringskassan (FK) drivand att kvinnan skulle pensioneras och i det andra fallet att kvinnan skulle åter till arbete.

This study was the foundation for an evaluation of an employment project in Sweden. The project offers occupations in carpentry as well as kitchen work for people with psychiatric disorders, substance abuse and other social difficulties. This studies purpose was to analyze the projects significance to its participants and also to distinguish weather the project influences the participant’s life in a professional or private way. The methodological tool was five qualitative interviews with the participants and three qualitative interviews with the employees. The theoretical framework was Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development.  Results of the study showed that the employment project has had a notable value for its participants, in a professional as well as in a private way. By using the bioecological model of human development, we have also gained an understanding of how the project creates new roles for the participants. We found that interpersonal relationships emerged throughout the project. These relationships, which had a positive influence on the participants, were established between the participants and the employees as well as among the members themselves. In conclusion, the support given by the employees has had a deep impact on the participants’ developmental processes.

Background: RTW after work-related injuries is a multifactorial process. Factors affecting clinicians to make RTW-recommendations for patients with WRSEI have not been studied in the literature. Purpose: We investigated the associations between group of factors chosen from different domains (Personal/Environmental) and clinicians’ RTW-recommendations for patients with WRSEI. Methods: Study design was cross-sectional. Data were collected from self-reported surveys and clinical charts of 130 adult workers (not working at the time of visit and referred to WSIB-Shoulder & Elbow Specialty Clinic-Toronto) with chronic (≥6-months) injuries. Results: Population mean age was 43.5-years. 52% were female. The average time-since-injury was 20.4-months (45%>12-months). 70% received RTW-recommendations (regular/modified-job). 30% received a No-RTW-recommendation. 42% had education≥college-level. 18% had heavy (>20kg) job-demands. Higher MCS-scores had a significant association (p=0.0003) with clinicians’ RTW-recommendations. Conclusion: In patients with chronic WRSEI(s), poor general health-status and high disability, workers with better mental-health were more likely to receive a RTW-recommendation by clinicians.

Background: RTW after work-related injuries is a multifactorial process. Factors affecting clinicians to make RTW-recommendations for patients with WRSEI have not been studied in the literature. Purpose: We investigated the associations between group of factors chosen from different domains (Personal/Environmental) and clinicians’ RTW-recommendations for patients with WRSEI. Methods: Study design was cross-sectional. Data were collected from self-reported surveys and clinical charts of 130 adult workers (not working at the time of visit and referred to WSIB-Shoulder & Elbow Specialty Clinic-Toronto) with chronic (≥6-months) injuries. Results: Population mean age was 43.5-years. 52% were female. The average time-since-injury was 20.4-months (45%>12-months). 70% received RTW-recommendations (regular/modified-job). 30% received a No-RTW-recommendation. 42% had education≥college-level. 18% had heavy (>20kg) job-demands. Higher MCS-scores had a significant association (p=0.0003) with clinicians’ RTW-recommendations. Conclusion: In patients with chronic WRSEI(s), poor general health-status and high disability, workers with better mental-health were more likely to receive a RTW-recommendation by clinicians.