Work-directed rehabilitation or physical activity to support work ability and mental health in common mental disorders: a pilot randomized controlled trial
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate feasibility and potential effectiveness of work-directed rehabilitation in people with common mental disorders. Design: Pilot randomized controlled trial. Setting: Primary healthcare, Sweden. Subjects: Working adults (n = 42) of mean age 46.2 ± 11.1 years with depression or anxiety disorder. Interventions: Eight weeks of work-directed rehabilitation (n = 21) or physical activity (n = 21). Work-directed rehabilitation included sessions with a physiotherapist and/or an occupational therapist, to develop strategies to cope better at work. Physical activity included a planning session and access to a local gym. Main measures: Feasibility: attendance, discontinuation and adverse events. Measurements were the Work Ability Index, the Global Assessment of Functioning, the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the World Health Organization—Five Well-Being Index. Results: Attendance to rehabilitation sessions was 88% (n = 147/167) and discontinuation rate was 14% (n = 3/21). No serious adverse events were reported. Within both groups, there was a significant improvement in Work Ability Index score (mean change: 3.6 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.45, 6.7) in work-directed rehabilitation and 3.9 (95% CI: 0.9, 7.0) in physical activity) with no significant difference between groups. For the other outcomes, significant improvements were found within but not between groups. Per-protocol analysis showed a trend toward the…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 147 participants or records.
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