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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2013 Sep;31(3):141-6.
doi: 10.3109/02813432.2013.811943. Epub 2013 Aug 5.

Early multidisciplinary assessment was associated with longer periods of sick leave: a randomized controlled trial in a primary health care centre

Lars Carlsson  1 , Lars Englund, Johan Hallqvist, Thorne Wallman
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Early multidisciplinary assessment was associated with longer periods of sick leave: a randomized controlled trial in a primary health care centre

Lars Carlsson et al. Scand J Prim Health Care. 2013 Sep.

Abstract

Objective: To study the effects on sick leave from an early multidisciplinary assessment at a primary health care centre.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Patients who saw GPs at a primary health care centre in mid-Sweden and asked for a sickness certificate for psychiatric or musculoskeletal diagnoses were invited to participate. Patients included were sick-listed for less than four weeks; 33 patients were randomized either to an assessment within a week by a physiotherapist, a psychotherapist, and an occupational therapist or to "standard care". The therapists used methods and tools they normally use in their clinical work.

Main outcome measure: Proportion of patients still sick-listed three months after randomization, total and net days on sick leave, and proportion who were on part-time sick leave. Results. At follow-up after three months, in contrast to the pre-trial hypothesis, there was a trend toward a higher proportion of patients still sick-listed in the intervention group (7/18) as compared with the control group (3/15). The intervention group also had significantly longer sick-listing periods (mean 58 days) than the control group (mean 36 days) (p = 0.038). The proportion of patients who were part time sick-listed was significantly higher in the intervention group (10/18) than in the control group (2/15) (p = 0.027).

Conclusions: In this study an early multidisciplinary assessment was associated with longer periods on sick leave and more individuals on part-time sick leave.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flow chart of eligible patients invited to participate in the study and randomized participants.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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