Design of a randomized controlled trial on the effects of Counseling of mental health problems by Occupational Physicians on return to work: the CO-OP-study

Mental health problems often lead to prolonged sick leave. In primary care, the usual approach towards these patients was the advice to take rest and not return to work before all complaints had disappeared. When complaints persist, these patients are often referred to psychologists from primary and specialized secondary care. As an alternative, ways have been sought to activate the Dutch occupational physician (OP) in primary care. Early 2000, the Dutch Association of Occupational Physicians (NVAB) published a guideline concerning the management by OPs of employees with mental health problems. The guideline received positive reactions from employees, employers and Dutch OPs. This manuscript describes the design of a study, which aims to assess the effects of the guideline, compared with usual care. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), subjects in the intervention group were treated according to the guideline. The control group received usual care, with minimal involvement of the OP and easy access to a psychologist. Subjects were recruited from two Dutch police departments. The primary outcomes of the study are return to work and treatment satisfaction by the employee, employer, and OP. A secondary outcome is cost-effectiveness of the intervention, compared with usual care. Furthermore, prognostic measures are taken into account as potential confounders. A process evaluation will be done by means of performance indicators, based on the guideline. In this pragmatic trial, effectiveness instead of efficacy is studied. We will evaluate what is possible in real clinical practice, rather than under ideal circumstances. Many requirements for a high quality trial are being met. Results of this study will contribute to treatment options in occupational health practice for employees on sick leave due to mental health problems. Additionally, they may contribute to new and better-suited guidelines and stepped care. Results will become available during 2007. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN3488734

Harmonized definition of occupational burnout : A systematic review, semantic analysis, and Delphi consensus in 29 countries

Funding Information: This study was supported by the University of Lausanne and European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Action CA 16216 "Network on the Coordination and Harmonisation of European Occupational Cohorts” (OMEGA-NET). Publisher Copyright: © 2021, Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health. All rights reserved.Objective A consensual definition of occupational burnout is currently lacking. We aimed to harmonize the definition of occupational burnout as a health outcome in medical research and reach a consensus on this definition within the Network on the Coordination and Harmonisation of European Occupational Cohorts (OMEGA-NET). Methods First, we performed a systematic review in MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase (January 1990 to August 2018) and a semantic analysis of the available definitions. We used the definitions of burnout and burnout-related concepts from the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) to formulate a consistent harmonized definition of the concept. Second, we sought to obtain the Delphi consensus on the proposed definition. Results We identified 88 unique definitions of burnout and assigned each of them to 1 of the 11 original definitions. The semantic analysis yielded a first proposal, further reformulated according to SNOMED-CT and the panelists` comments as follows: "In a worker, occupational burnout or occupational physical AND emotional exhaustion state is an exhaustion due to prolonged exposure to work-related problems". A panel of 50 experts (researchers and healthcare professionals with an interest for occupational burnout) reached consensus on this proposal at the second round of the Delphi, with 82% of experts agreeing on it. Conclusion This study resulted in a harmonized definition of occupational burnout approved by experts from 29 countries within OMEGA-NET. Future research should address the reproducibility of the Delphi consensus in a larger panel of experts, representing more countries, and examine the practicability of the definition.Peer reviewe

Adherence to mental health guidelines by Dutch occupational physicians

Background In 2000, the Dutch Association of Occupational Physicians published a national guideline for the management of employees with mental health problems. Objectives To examine predictors of adherence to this guideline by Dutch occupational physicians (OPs). Methods Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour, a questionnaire was developed about self-reported guideline adherence of OPs and possible predictors of this behaviour. A total of 165 OPs were approached to complete the questionnaire and registration forms of first consultations of workers with mental health problems. Performance indicators based on the guideline were developed to calculate performance rates of guideline adherence by OPs. Results Eighty of 165 (48%) OPs approached completed the questionnaire. Fifty-six OPs returned one or more registration forms, totalling 344 consultations. On a five-point Likert scale, ranging from never (1) to always (5), the mean score on self-reported guideline adherence was 2.35, compared to a mean score of 4.06 on the intention to comply with the guideline. The mean performance rate of OPs ranging from 0 to 2 was 1.27 on diagnosis and 0.60 on guidance. No relation was found between self-reported guideline adherence and performance rates. Self-reported guideline adherence correlated significantly with perceived behaviour control (r = 0.48, P < 0.05), subjective norms (r = 0.33, P < 0.05) and positive job stress (r = 0.35, P < 0.05). Conclusions Guideline adherence by Dutch OPs lags behind its acceptance. Further implementation efforts need to focus on diminishing barriers and enhancing social norms of OPs to work according to the guideline

Dietary plasticity of a understudied primate (Sapajus cay) in a biodiversity hotspot : applying ecological traits to habitat conservation in the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest

Funding sources This research was supported by National Geographic Society (Grant Number: NGS-299C-18) who provided the funding for the vehicle required to access the Nueva Gambach field site, the Elphinstone Scholarship that covered the tuition fees of RL Smith’s PhD with the University of Aberdeen and Fundación Para La Tierra who provided the primatologist salary (RL Smith) as well as all living costs of the team at both field sites.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Design of a randomized controlled trial on the effects of Counseling of mental health problems by Occupational Physicians on return to work: the CO-OP-study

Abstract Background Mental health problems often lead to prolonged sick leave. In primary care, the usual approach towards these patients was the advice to take rest and not return to work before all complaints had disappeared. When complaints persist, these patients are often referred to psychologists from primary and specialized secondary care. As an alternative, ways have been sought to activate the Dutch occupational physician (OP) in primary care. Early 2000, the Dutch Association of Occupational Physicians (NVAB) published a guideline concerning the management by OPs of employees with mental health problems. The guideline received positive reactions from employees, employers and Dutch OPs. This manuscript describes the design of a study, which aims to assess the effects of the guideline, compared with usual care. Methods/Design In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), subjects in the intervention group were treated according to the guideline. The control group received usual care, with minimal involvement of the OP and easy access to a psychologist. Subjects were recruited from two Dutch police departments. The primary outcomes of the study are return to work and treatment satisfaction by the employee, employer, and OP. A secondary outcome is cost-effectiveness of the intervention, compared with usual care. Furthermore, prognostic measures are taken into account as potential confounders. A process evaluation will be done by means of performance indicators, based on the guideline. Discussion In this pragmatic trial, effectiveness instead of efficacy is studied. We will evaluate what is possible in real clinical practice, rather than under ideal circumstances. Many requirements for a high quality trial are being met. Results of this study will contribute to treatment options in occupational health practice for employees on sick leave due to mental health problems. Additionally, they may contribute to new and better-suited guidelines and stepped care. Results will become available during 2007. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN34887348</p

Effectiveness of a tailored implementation strategy to improve adherence to a guideline on mental health problems in occupational health care

Abstract Background As compliance to guidelines is generally low among health care providers, little is known about the impact of guidelines on the quality of delivery of care. To improve adherence to guideline recommendations on mental health problems, an implementation strategy was developed for Dutch occupational physicians (OPs). The aims were 1) to assess adherence to a mental health guideline in occupational health care and 2) to evaluate the effect of a tailored implementation strategy on guideline adherence compared to traditional guideline dissemination. Methods An audit of medical records was conducted as part of a larger RCT study. Participants were 66 OPs (32 intervention and 34 control) employed at one of six sites of an Occupational Health Service in southern Netherlands. OPs in the intervention group received multiple-session peer group training which focused on identifying and addressing barriers to using the guideline, using a Plan-Do-Check-Act approach. The control group did not receive training. Medical records of 114 workers sick-listed with mental health problems were assessed (56 intervention and 58 control). Guideline adherence was determined by auditing the records using 12 guideline-based performance indicators (PI), grouped into 5 PIs: process diagnosis, problem orientation, interventions/treatment, relapse prevention, and continuity of care. Differences in performance rates of the PIs between the intervention and control groups were analyzed, taking into account the cluster study design. Results OPs who received the training showed significantly greater adherence compared to the controls (p < .028) in 4 out of 5 grouped PIs, i.e. process diagnosis, problem orientation, interventions/treatment and relapse prevention. In one out of 12 PIs adherence was found adequate (53% of the medical records), in 6 PIs adherence was found minimal, and in 5 PIs the majority of the records showed no adherence. Conclusions An implementation strategy which addressed key barriers for change and tailor-made interventions improves adherence to an occupational health guideline for mental health problems compared to traditional guideline dissemination. However, adherence to the guideline recommendations is still far from optimal. To optimize adherence, it is recommended that implementation strategies focus on the workers level, organizational level, and the professional level. Trial registration ISRCTN86605310. Registered 30 June 2010