The effectiveness of vocationally oriented multidisciplinary intervention on sickness absence and early retirement among employees at risk: an observational study

Abstract

Objective: To study the effect of a preventive vocationally oriented intervention on rates of sickness absence and disability pension in employees considered to be at risk of future work disability. Design: An observational register-based study of public sector employees. Subjects: 2236 intervention programme participants and 8944 matched controls were followed up for 8 years. Methods: Multidisciplinary intervention was carried out at rehabilitation institutions. Data on demographics and sickness absences were obtained from employers’ records and information about health at baseline, participation in the intervention and subsequent disability pension from national registers. Results: Before the intervention participants had 17% more annual sick leave days and a 23% higher rate of absence spells lasting >21 days than controls. In the intervention year and 3 subsequent years, the sickness absence rate among participants reduced to that observed among controls but thereafter increased to the pre-intervention level (p for curvilinear trend Conclusion: The risk of work disability can be temporarily reduced in employees at risk by means of a vocationally oriented multidisciplinary intervention programme.