Research can increase the working capacity of long-term sick – forskning.se

The dissertation “ Improving Workability and Return to Work Among Women on Long-Term Sick Leave “, she has studied the long-term sick women. Most have musculoskeletal problems – often the neck and shoulder problems.

The women work in human service professions. That means local school activities, care, personal assistants, cleaners and school kitchens but also in administration and management. The women live in the same city in Sweden. Many of the women also even psychological disorders such as depression, burnout and stress.

– The large number of long-term sick has been a major problem for society. When sick leave rules were amended in 2008, the number of something. But now it has begun to rise again. And there are more women than men who are long-term sick, says Linda Åhlström, who is also a nurse at the Occupational and Environmental Medicine and disputes now at the University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska Academy and Institute of Medicine.

Training a major factor
From the group elected 60 women with neck pain were randomly selected for a randomized trial. They got to try different actions – interventions. One group, for example, test the intense strength training with a coach when another group was wearing a biofeedback vest to alert when walking and spans. From this group, Linda Åhlström also interviewed 16 of the women.

– I have come to several important conclusions. One of them is that an intervention with intense weight training can be used to reduce pain and increase work capacity, she said.

She has also identified factors that could facilitate a return to work. The individuals who had rehabilitation and supportive relationships in the workplace increased work capacity over time.

– These women have been sick a long time. They often work under a yo-yo principle that they are on sick leave for a while, working for a while and become sick again. The women have tested and tried most things to feel better.

– One might think that it is common sense that it helps if you feel welcome in the workplace, but this was the factors that actually made a difference, Linda continues Ahlstrom.

Finally, she has also come to the conclusion that a simple question from a arbetsförmågeformulär: “How would you rate your current work ability compared to your life,” where individual must make the estimate on a scale of 1 to 10, can be used as an indicator and complements the full questionnaire to estimate work.

– Now I hope I can come back to employer and tell them about my results. I also want to visit, for example, the Social Insurance Agency and the Occupational Health Service where my results can be of great benefit, says Linda Ahlstrom.

Text: Anna Kjellsson

FACTS
The defense will take place on October 6 at the Department of Medicine at the Department Community Medicine and Public Health, University of Gothenburg. Kl. 9:00 in room Hamberger, Medicinaregatan 16A.