Comprehensive clarification of the need for intervention in endangered work participation

Background: The effectiveness of preventive and rehabilitative measures in securing work participation depends largely on whether they meet individual needs. This places high demands on diagnostics. Health services that are still strongly oriented towards symptoms of illness without considering the requirements and other special features of the workplace make it difficult to assess the individual’s health needs. If the restriction of occupational capacity due to a health problem is in an advanced stage of chronicity, the success of rehabilitation services is unclear. According to the subjective experience of employees with endangered work participation and according to internal communication in companies, physical, often musculoskeleta complaints are initially in the foreground when it comes to sickness absence. However, the restrictions experienced and their effects are often complex. A comprehensive diagnosis is often late, incomplete or one-sided, and the cooperation between employer and health care provider is inadequate.
The project aims to develop, implement and evaluate an early diagnostic clarification of health problems that endanger work participation. The aim of the model project is to quickly and comprehensively compare individual capacity and job requirements. From this comparison, tailored intervention strategies can be derived to secure individual's work participation.
Methods: The intervention will be developed in four workshops with the stakeholders involved in the first study year. A written manual is created for the standardized implementation of the intervention. In the pilot phase in the second year of the study, the population reached and the delivered and received treatment dose are described. The manual for implementing the intervention will be adapted on the basis of the pilot phase. The effectiveness of the new intervention strategy is tested in a randomized controlled trial with a waiting-list control group that will receive the intervention six months after study inclusion. We will include 210 employees (105 people per group). The primary outcome is self-rated work ability assessed using the Work Ability Score (0 to 10 points) six months after study inclusion.