Coordination and Perceived Support for Return to Work: A Cross-Sectional Study among Patients in Swedish Healthcare

Erik Berglund, Emilie Friberg, Monika Engblom, Åsa Andersén and Veronica Svärd
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Erik Berglund: Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
Emilie Friberg: Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
Monika Engblom: Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
Åsa Andersén: Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, SE-751 22 Uppsala, Sweden
Veronica Svärd: Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Receiving support from a return-to-work (RTW) coordinator (RTWC) may be beneficial for people on long-term sick leave. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the number of contacts with an RTWC and their involvement in designing rehabilitation plans for the patients were associated with perceiving support for RTW, emotional response to the RTWC, and healthcare utilization. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 274 patients who had recently been in contact with an RTWC in Swedish primary or psychiatric care answered questions regarding their interaction with an RTWC, perceived support for RTW, and emotional response to the RTWC. Results: Having more contact with an RTWC was associated with perceiving more support in the RTW process (adjusted OR 4.14, 95% CI 1.49–11.47). RTWC involvement in designing a rehabilitation plan for the patient was associated with perceiving more support in the RTW process from an RTWC and having a more positive emotional response to the RTWC. Conclusions: From the patient’s perspective, this study indicates that the involvement of an RTWC and receiving a rehabilitation plan that an RTWC has helped to design might be perceived as important in the RTW process.

Keywords: sick leave; return to work (RTW); vocational rehabilitation; RTW coordination (RTWC); experienced quality in healthcare; support; emotion; healthcare utilization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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