Return to work after interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation: One- and two-year follow-up based on the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain rehabilitation

J Rehabil Med. 2019 Apr 1;51(4):281-289. doi: 10.2340/16501977-2544.

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate: (i) changes in sick-leave benefits from 1 year prior to multimodal rehabilitation to 1 and 2 years after rehabilitation; (ii) sex differences in sick leave; and (iii) the impact of policy changes on sick leave.

Methods: All patients undergoing multimodal rehabilitation registered in a national pain database for 2007-11 (n = 7,297) were linked to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency database. Sick leave was analysed in 3-month periods: T0: 1 year before rehabilitation; T1: before start; T2: 1 year after; and T3: 2 years after rehabilitation. Four sick-leave benefit categories were constructed: no sick leave, part-time sick leave, full-time sick leave, and full-time permanent sick leave. The individual change in sick-leave category at each time-period was analysed.

Results: Sick-leave benefits increased from T0 to T1 (p < 0.001) and decreased from T1 to T3 (p < 0.001). Reductions were significant for both men and women from T1 to T3, but men had less sick-leave benefits at T2 and T3. Positive changes in sick-leave benefits at T2 and T3 were found both prior to and after policy changes, with less sick-leave benefits after policy changes at all time-points.

Conclusion: Multimodal rehabilitation may positively influence sick-leave benefits for patients with chronic pain, regardless of their sick-leave situation, sex or policy changes.

Keywords: chronic pain; registries; rehabilitation; return to work; sick leave.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chronic Pain / rehabilitation*
  • Databases, Factual
  • Employment / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Health Policy / trends
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain Management / statistics & numerical data
  • Registries
  • Rehabilitation / statistics & numerical data*
  • Return to Work / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sex Distribution
  • Sick Leave / statistics & numerical data*
  • Sweden