Workers' views on involving significant others in occupational health care:a focus group study among workers with a chronic disease

Purpose: To explore workers’ views and considerations on involving their significant others (SOs) in occupational health care. Methods: Four focus group interviews in the Netherlands, with 21 workers who had visited an occupational health physician (OHP) due to work absence caused by a chronic disease. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: We distinguished four main themes: (i) attitudes towards involving SOs, (ii) preferences on how to involve SOs, (iii) benefits of involving SOs, and (iv) concerns with regard to involving SOs. Workers expressed both positive and critical opinions about involving SOs in occupational health care. Benefits mentioned included provision of emotional and informational support by SOs before, during, and after consultations. According to workers, support from SOs can be enhanced by informing SOs about re-integration plans and involving them in decision making. However, workers were concerned about overburdening SOs, and receiving unwanted support from them. Conclusions: According to interviewed workers, engagement of SOs in occupational health care can help workers with a chronic disease in their recovery and return to work. However, they felt it is important to take SO characteristics and the worker’s circumstances and preferences into account, and to balance the potential benefits and drawbacks of involving SOs.Implications for rehabilitation This study suggests that the worker’s re-integration process could benefit from informing significant others about the return to work plans, involving them in decision-making, and explicitly discussing how the significant other can support the worker. Occupational health physicians have an important role in informing workers about the possibility and potential benefits of involving their significant others in the re-integration process. The involvement of a significant other in the re-integration process needs to be tailored to the specific situation of the individual worker, taking into account the preferences of both the worker and significant other. Findings suggest that it is important that occupational health physicians, workers and significant others are not only aware of the possible benefits of significant other involvement, but also of potential drawbacks such as interference during consultations, overburdening significant others, and significant others providing unwanted support

Assessing significant others' cognitions and behavioral responses in occupational health care for workers with a chronic disease

Purpose: To examine current practices of occupational health professionals in assessing significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses that may influence work outcomes of workers with a chronic disease. Methods: A survey study among occupational health professionals, focusing on the assessment of illness perceptions, work-related beliefs and expectations, and behavioral responses of significant others of workers with a chronic disease. We performed linear regression analyses to investigate which factors are related to occupational health professionals’ assessment practices. We used thematic analysis to analyze qualitative data on occupational health professionals’ reasons to assess or overlook significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses. Results: Our study sample included 192 occupational health professionals. Most seldom asked about significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses. Organizational norms and occupational health professionals’ self-efficacy were related to reported assessment practices. Reasons to assess significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses included recognizing their influence on work participation, and occurrence of stagnation. However, occupational health professionals indicated some doubt whether such assessment would always contribute to better care. Conclusions: It is not common practice for occupational health professionals to assess significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses, although they recognize the influence of these factors on work outcomes. More research is needed as to how occupational health professionals can best address the role of significant others, and apply these new insights in their daily practice.Implications for rehabilitation Most occupational health professionals do not commonly ask about significant others’ cognitions and behavioral responses despite the possible influence of these factors on work outcomes. Occupational health professionals may be able to better support workers with a chronic disease by paying more attention to the influence of significant others. Aside from asking about practical support, occupational health professionals should consider asking about significant others’ illness perceptions, work-related beliefs and expectations, and other behavioral responses

Training for occupational health physicians to involve significant others in the return-to-work process of workers with chronic diseases: a randomized controlled trial

Purpose: To determine the efficacy of the “Training for Occupational health physicians To Involve Significant others” (TOTIS) e-learning module for improving occupational health physicians’ (OHPs) knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy regarding involving significant others in the return-to-work process. Materials and methods: A randomized controlled trial with 87 OHPs, involving an intervention group and a wait-listed control group. Between-group differences in knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy outcomes, and retention of effects were assessed using ANOVA and paired t-tests. Reactions to the e-learning module were analyzed with descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results: We found moderate to large effects on OHPs’ knowledge (p < 0.001, η p2 = 0.202), attitudes (p = 0.003, η p2 = 0.098), and self-efficacy (p < 0.001, η p2 = 0.237), with retention of all changes at 10-week follow-up. OHPs graded the e-learning module with a mean score of 7.9 out of 10 (SD = 1.11) and indicated that the module increased their awareness of the role of significant others and encouraged them to address this more often. Conclusions: The TOTIS e-learning module and accompanying materials are valuable resources for OHPs to learn how significant others influence work outcomes of workers with chronic diseases and to manage their involvement in the re-integration process. Trial registration: This study is registered in the Netherlands Trial Register under trial number NL8744; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8744.Implications for rehabilitation The TOTIS e-learning module is the first evidence-based training to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of occupational health physicians with regard to involving significant others in the re-integration process of workers with chronic diseases. The e-learning module and accompanying tools can increase the awareness of occupational health physicians about the role of significant others and encourage them to address the role of significant others in the re-integration process of sick-listed workers. It could be beneficial to expand on the e-learning module with a face-to-face training program involving group interaction, peer discussion, and skills development

Discrepancies between workers with disabilities and their supervisors in reported work accommodations and associations with return to work

Background: The aims of this study were: (1) to explore the frequency of discrepancies in work accommodations reported by workers and their supervisors, and (2) to investigate whether these discrepancies are associated with full return to work (RTW). Methods: We used data from a longitudinal survey study of long-term sick-listed workers and their supervisors (n = 406). Discrepancies in reports on implementing eight types of work accommodations were explored. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to test associations between discrepancies in reported work accommodations and odds of full RTW 27 months after the sick-leave onset. Results: Discrepancies were the lowest for the work accommodation therapeutic RTW (53%) and the highest (85%) for job training or education and reimbursement of therapy or treatment. Four out of eight types of work accommodations were more often reported by workers than by their supervisors. Only a discrepancy on a job reassignment within the organization was associated with lower odds of full RTW (OR 0.56, 95%-CI 0.36–0.88). Conclusion: We found substantial discrepancies in the reported implementation of work accommodations between workers and their supervisors. Future research should focus on disentangling mechanisms that lead to discrepancies to avoid inefficiencies in the RTW process

Influence of significant others on work participation of individuals with chronic diseases: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE: It is widely recognised that significant others (SOs), such as a partner, family member or friend, can influence health outcomes of individuals with a chronic disease. However, not much is known about which specific cognitions (ie, illness perceptions and expectation of work ability) and behaviours (eg, emotional and practical support) of SOs influence work participation. Therefore, we aimed to identify cognitions and behaviours of SOs that are related to work participation of individuals with a chronic disease. DESIGN: A systematic review and thematic synthesis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, SocINDEX and Web of Science were searched until 28 March 2017. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: We included studies reporting on cognitions and behaviours of SOs related to work participation in populations with various chronic diseases. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two independent reviewers extracted the data and performed a quality assessment using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies from the Effective Public Health Practice Project 2007 and a checklist for assessment of qualitative studies derived from the Cochrane Supplemental Handbook Guidance. Evidence was thematically synthesised. RESULTS: Out of 5168 articles, 18 were included (15 qualitative and 3 quantitative) of moderate to high quality. Studies were on cancer, chronic pain, brain injuries and mental health disorders. After thematic synthesis 27 factors could be distinguished. Consistent evidence was found that SOs' positive and encouraging attitudes regarding work participation, encouragement and motivating behaviour and open communication with patients are facilitators for work participation. Consistently reported barriers were SOs' positive attitudes towards sickness absence and advise, encouragement or pressure to refrain from work. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that several cognitions and behaviours of SOs can facilitate or hinder work participation of individuals with a chronic disease. Intervening on these factors by involving SOs in disability prevention and return to work intervention strategies may be beneficial. More prognostic studies are needed, as the current evidence is mostly based on qualitative studies

Workers’ views on involving significant others in occupational health care: a focus group study among workers with a chronic disease

Purpose: To explore workers’ views and considerations on involving their significant others (SOs) in occupational health care. Methods: Four focus group interviews in the Netherlands, with 21 workers who had visited an occupational health physician (OHP) due to work absence caused by a chronic disease. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: We distinguished four main themes: (i) attitudes towards involving SOs, (ii) preferences on how to involve SOs, (iii) benefits of involving SOs, and (iv) concerns with regard to involving SOs. Workers expressed both positive and critical opinions about involving SOs in occupational health care. Benefits mentioned included provision of emotional and informational support by SOs before, during, and after consultations. According to workers, support from SOs can be enhanced by informing SOs about re-integration plans and involving them in decision making. However, workers were concerned about overburdening SOs, and receiving unwanted support from them. Conclusions: According to interviewed workers, engagement of SOs in occupational health care can help workers with a chronic disease in their recovery and return to work. However, they felt it is important to take SO characteristics and the worker’s circumstances and preferences into account, and to balance the potential benefits and drawbacks of involving SOs.Implications for rehabilitation This study suggests that the worker’s re-integration process could benefit from informing significant others about the return to work plans, involving them in decision-making, and explicitly discussing how the significant other can support the worker. Occupational health physicians have an important role in informing workers about the possibility and potential benefits of involving their significant others in the re-integration process. The involvement of a significant other in the re-integration process needs to be tailored to the specific situation of the individual worker, taking into account the preferences of both the worker and significant other. Findings suggest that it is important that occupational health physicians, workers and significant others are not only aware of the possible benefits of significant other involvement, but also of potential drawbacks such as interference during consultations, overburdening significant others, and significant others providing unwanted support

Workers' views on involving significant others in occupational health care: a focus group study among workers with a chronic disease

PURPOSE: To explore workers' views and considerations on involving their significant others (SOs) in occupational health care. METHODS: Four focus group interviews in the Netherlands, with 21 workers who had visited an occupational health physician (OHP) due to work absence caused by a chronic disease. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: We distinguished four main themes: (i) attitudes towards involving SOs, (ii) preferences on how to involve SOs, (iii) benefits of involving SOs, and (iv) concerns with regard to involving SOs. Workers expressed both positive and critical opinions about involving SOs in occupational health care. Benefits mentioned included provision of emotional and informational support by SOs before, during, and after consultations. According to workers, support from SOs can be enhanced by informing SOs about re-integration plans and involving them in decision making. However, workers were concerned about overburdening SOs, and receiving unwanted support from them. CONCLUSIONS: According to interviewed workers, engagement of SOs in occupational health care can help workers with a chronic disease in their recovery and return to work. However, they felt it is important to take SO characteristics and the worker's circumstances and preferences into account, and to balance the potential benefits and drawbacks of involving SOs.Implications for rehabilitationThis study suggests that the worker's re-integration process could benefit from informing significant others about the return to work plans, involving them in decision-making, and explicitly discussing how the significant other can support the worker.Occupational health physicians have an important role in informing workers about the possibility and potential benefits of involving their significant others in the re-integration process.The involvement of a significant other in the re-integration process needs to be tailored to the specific situation of the individual worker, taking into account the preferences of both the worker and significant other.Findings suggest that it is important that occupational health physicians, workers and significant others are not only aware of the possible benefits of significant other involvement, but also of potential drawbacks such as interference during consultations, overburdening significant others, and significant others providing unwanted support

Physicians' Perspectives on Person-Related Factors Associated With Work Participation and Methods Used to Obtain Information About These Factors

OBJECTIVE: Person-related factors influencing work participation of employees with health problems are important. However, the best method to obtain information about them, according to occupational physicians (OPs) and insurance physicians (IPs), is unknown. METHODS: Questionnaires in which OPs and IPs rated the importance of and described methods to obtain information about 10 person-related factors: expectations regarding recovery or return to work, optimism/pessimism, self-efficacy, motivation, feelings of control, perceived health, coping strategies, fear-avoidance beliefs, perceived work-relatedness, and catastrophizing. RESULTS: OPs and IPs perceived all person-related factors, except for optimism/pessimism and perceived health as important for work participation. Information about the factors could best be obtained with use of a topic list during consultations. CONCLUSIONS: OPs and IPs should take person-related factors into account during consultations and it is best to use a topic list when discussing them