Factors affecting return to work after injury or illness: best evidence synthesis of systematic reviews

doi:10.1186/s12998-016-0113-z

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Chiropr Man Therap. 2016; 24(1): 32.

Published online 2016 Sep 8. doi: 10.1186/s12998-016-0113-z

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Table 2

Common RTW prognostic factors

Study	Health condition	Direction of association
Common for positive effect on RTW outcomes
Personal factors
Higher education and socioeconomic status
Clay 2010	MSK	+
Steenstra 2005	MSK	None
Cornelius 2011	Mental	+
Detaille 2009	Other	+
Allebeck 2004	Other	+
Higher self-efficacy/optimistic perceptions and expectations
Clay 2010	MSK	+
Iles 2008	MSK	+
Kuijer 2006	MSK	+
Cornelius 2011	Mental	+
O’Neil 2010	Cardiac	+
Body structure and function factors
Lower severity of injury/illness
Clay 2010	MSK	+
Kuijpers 2004	MSK	+/−
Lagerveld 2010	Mental	+
Nightingale 2007	Brain injury	+
van Velzen 2009	Brain injury	None
Detaille 2009	Other	+
Environmental factors
Multidisciplinary interventions
Dick 2011	MSK	+
Hoffman 2007	MSK	+
Norlund 2009	MSK	+
Ravenek 2010	MSK	+/−
Tveito 2004	MSK	None
van Geen 2007	MSK	+
van Middlekoop 2011	MSK	+
Williams 2007	MSK	+
Désiron 2011	MSK + Other	+
Hoefsmit 2012	MSK + Other	+
van Oostrom 2009	MSK + Other	+
Turner-Stokes 2005	Brain injury	None
de Boer 2011	Cancer	+
Occupational care/training
Cornelius 2011	Mental	+
Tamminga 2010	Cancer	+
Educational interventions
Brox 2008	MSK	+
Heymans 2005	MSK	+
Liddle 2007	MSK	+
Meijer 2005	MSK	+/−
Tveito 2004	MSK	None
Tamminga 2010	Cancer	+
Psychological interventions
Meijer 2005	MSK	+/−
Palmer 2012	MSK	+
van Middlekoop 2011	MSK	+
Corbière 2006	MSK + Mental	+
Arends 2012	Mental	–
Nieuwenhuijsen 2008	Mental	Insufficient
de Boer 2011	Cancer	+
Stakeholder participation in RTW process
Carroll 2010	MSK	+
Franche 2005	MSK	+
Cornelius 2011	Mental	+
Work modification/accommodation
Carroll 2010	MSK	+
Dick 2011	MSK	+
Franche 2005	MSK	+
Palmer 2012	MSK	+
Williams 2007	MSK	+
Tamminga 2010	Cancer	+
RTW coordination
Franche 2005	MSK	+
Schandelmaier 2012	MSK + Other	+
Early intervention
Carroll 2010	MSK	+
Hoefsmit 2012	MSK + Other	+
Outpatient/comprehensive treatment
Hlobil 2005	MSK	₊
Tveito 2004	MSK	₊
Shepherd 2012	Coronary heart disease	₊
Activities and participation factors
Preinjury employment
Hansson 2004	MSK	+
Cornelius 2011	Mental	+
Nightingale 2007	Brain injury	+
Common for negative effect on RTW outcomes
Personal factors
Older age
Hansson 2004	MSK	–
Steenstra 2005	MSK	–
Verkerk 2012	MSK	+/−
Cornelius 2011	Mental	–
Hensing 2004	Mental	+/−
Lagerveld 2010	Mental	–
Willemse-van Son 2007	Brain injury	–
O’Neil 2010	Cardiac	–
Perk 2004	Stroke, Coronary artery disease	–
Dekkers-Sanchez 2008	Other	–
Detaille 2009	Other	–
Female
Hansson 2004	MSK	+/−
Steenstra 2005	MSK	–
Verkerk 2012	MSK	+/−
Cornelius 2011	Mental	–
Hensing 2004	Mental	–
van Velzen 2009	Brain injury	None
Detaille 2009	Other	–
Body structure and function factors
Higher pain/impairment/disability
Hansson 2004	MSK	–
Kent 2008	MSK	+/−
Kuijpers 2004	MSK	+/−
Steenstra 2005	MSK	–
Verkerk 2012	MSK	–
Cornelius 2011	Mental	–
Willemse-van Son 2007	Brain injury	–
Detaille 2009	Other	–
Depression
Iles 2008	MSK	None
Cornelius 2011	Mental	–
Lagerveld 2010	Mental	–
Van Velzen 2009	Brain injury	None
O’Neil 2010	Cardiac	–
Detaille 2009	Other	–
Environmental factors
Higher physical work demands
Hansson 2004	MSK	–
Steenstra 2005	MSK	–
Verkerk 2012	MSK	–
Perk 2004	Stroke, Coronary artery disease	–
Allebeck 2004	Other	–
Activities and participation factors
Previous sick leave
Hansson 2004	MSK	–
Kuijpers 2004	MSK	+/−
Cornelius 2011	Mental	–
Lagerveld 2010	Mental	–
Willemse-van Son 2007	Brain injury	–
Allebeck 2004	Other	–
Dekkers-Sanchez 2008	Other	–
Detaille 2009	Other	–
Activity limitation/participation restriction
Kent 2008	MSK	+/−
Verkerk 2012	MSK	+/−
Lagerveld 2010	Mental	–
Nightingale 2007	Brain injury	–
Van Velzen 2009	Brain injury	–
Detaille 2009	Other	–
Common for no effect on RTW outcomes
Body structure and function factors
Anxiety and stress
Iles 2008	MSK	None
Cornelius 2011	Mental	–
Van Velzen 2009	Brain injury	None
Inconclusive
Personal factors
Marital status/Nnumber of dependents
Steenstra 2005	MSK	None
Allebeck 2004	Other	None
Lower social support
Steenstra 2005	MSK	–
Hensing 2004	Mental	+/−
Perceived high work demands
Hansson 2004	MSK	–
Hensing 2004	Mental	Insufficient
Higher work satisfaction
Hansson 2004	MSK	+
Iles 2008	MSK	None
Steenstra 2005	MSK	None
Dekkers-Sanchez 2008	Other	Insufficient
Smoking
Hansson 2004	MSK	None
Steenstra 2005	MSK	None
Fear avoidance beliefs
Iles 2008	MSK	–
Psychosocial factors
Kent 2008	MSK	+/−
Hensing 2004	Mental	+/−
Medical history/co-morbidities
Kent 2008	MSK	+/−
Steenstra 2005	MSK	None
Lagerveld 2010	Mental	_
Alcohol problems
Hensing 2004	Mental	+/−
Willemse-van Son 2007	Brain injury	–
Body structure and function factors
Clinical factors
Kent 2008	MSK	+/−
van Velzen 2009	Brain injury	None
Environmental factors
Workplace social support
Campbell 2013	MSK	+
Hansson 2004	MSK	None
Hensing 2004	Mental	Insufficent
Higher compensation
Clay 2010	MSK	–
Iles 2008	MSK	Insufficient
Steenstra 2005	MSK	–
Working longer shifts
Steenstra 2005	MSK	None
Occupation type/White vs. blue collar
Clay 2010	MSK	None
Kuijpers 2004	MSK	+/−
Steenstra 2005	MSK	None
Hensing 2004	Mental	Insufficient
Detaille 2009	Other	+
Company size
Steenstra 2005	MSK	None
Higher locus of control/decision latitude
Iles 2008	MSK	Insufficient
Hoefsmit 2012	MSK + Other	+/−
Hensing 2004	Mental	Insufficient
Allebeck 2004	Other	+
Encouragement
Tamminga 2010	Cancer	+/−
Exercise
Oesch 2010	MSK	+
Palmer 2012	MSK	+
Tveito 2004	MSK	+
Pamphlet
Tveito 2004	MSK	None
Enhanced primary care/Medication
Nieuwenhuijsen 2008	Mental	Insufficient
Early contact with worker by workplace
Franche 2005	MSK	+
Williams 2007	MSK	+
Graded activity/exposure
Macedo 2010	MSK	+/−
van der Giessen 2012	MSK	+/−
Physical and work conditioning
Meijer 2005	MSK	+/−
Schaafsma 2013	MSK	+
Back belts
Tveito 2004	MSK	None
Lower-intensity intervention (vs. higher)
Palmer 2012	MSK	+
van Geen 2007	MSK	None
Hoefsmit 2012	MSK + Other	+/−
de Boer 2011	Cancer	none
Activation & time-contingent interventions
Hoefsmit 2012	MSK + Other	+/−
Disability management programs/Generic interventions
Gensby 2012	MSK + Other	Insufficient
Hoefsmit 2012	MSK + Other	+/−
Psychotherapy-based workplace interventions
Stergiopoulos 2011	Mental	+
Vocational rehabilitation programs
Baldwin 2011	Brain injury	+
Fadyl 2009	Brain injury	+
Khan 2009	Multiple sclerosis	Insufficient

Direction of association with RTW: positive (+), negative (−), conflicting (+/−), no association (none), or insufficient evidence

MSK musculoskeletal, RTW return to work