Meta-synthesis of qualitative research on return to work among employees with common mental disorders

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate which opportunities and obstacles employees with common mental disorders (CMD) experience in relation to return to work (RTW) and how they perceive the process of returning to work. In addition, the study explores what characterizes an optimal...

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Main Authors: Malene F Andersen, Karina M Nielsen, Svend Brinkmann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH) 2012-03-01
Series:Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
Subjects:
Online Access: https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3257
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author Malene F Andersen
Karina M Nielsen
Svend Brinkmann
author_facet Malene F Andersen
Karina M Nielsen
Svend Brinkmann
author_sort Malene F Andersen
collection DOAJ
description OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate which opportunities and obstacles employees with common mental disorders (CMD) experience in relation to return to work (RTW) and how they perceive the process of returning to work. In addition, the study explores what characterizes an optimal RTW intervention and points to possible ways to improve future interventions for employees with CMD. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted, and eight qualitative studies of medium or high quality published between 1995–2011 were included in this systematic review. The eight studies were synthesized using the meta-ethnographic method. RESULTS: This meta-synthesis found that employees with CMD identify a number of obstacles to and facilitators of returning to work related to their own personality, social support at the workplace, and the social and rehabilitation systems. The employees found it difficult to decide when they were ready to resume work and experienced difficulties implementing RTW solutions at the workplace. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that the RTW process should be seen as a continuous and coherent one where experiences of the past and present and anticipation of the future are dynamically interrelated and affect the success or failure of RTW. The meta-synthesis also illuminates insufficient coordination between the social and rehabilitation systems and suggests how an optimal RTW intervention could be designed.
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spelling doaj.art-8e5f56ba645e416cae7dea2ef8a3d4292022-12-21T21:56:32ZengNordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health0355-31401795-990X2012-03-013829310410.5271/sjweh.32573257Meta-synthesis of qualitative research on return to work among employees with common mental disordersMalene F Andersen0Karina M NielsenSvend BrinkmannNational Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate which opportunities and obstacles employees with common mental disorders (CMD) experience in relation to return to work (RTW) and how they perceive the process of returning to work. In addition, the study explores what characterizes an optimal RTW intervention and points to possible ways to improve future interventions for employees with CMD. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted, and eight qualitative studies of medium or high quality published between 1995–2011 were included in this systematic review. The eight studies were synthesized using the meta-ethnographic method. RESULTS: This meta-synthesis found that employees with CMD identify a number of obstacles to and facilitators of returning to work related to their own personality, social support at the workplace, and the social and rehabilitation systems. The employees found it difficult to decide when they were ready to resume work and experienced difficulties implementing RTW solutions at the workplace. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that the RTW process should be seen as a continuous and coherent one where experiences of the past and present and anticipation of the future are dynamically interrelated and affect the success or failure of RTW. The meta-synthesis also illuminates insufficient coordination between the social and rehabilitation systems and suggests how an optimal RTW intervention could be designed. https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3257 back to workreviewsick leavemental healthsocial supportreturn to workqualitative researchrehabilitationmental disorderrtwmeta-synthesiscommon mental disorderwork accommodationmental illnessmeta-ethnography
spellingShingle Malene F Andersen
Karina M Nielsen
Svend Brinkmann
Meta-synthesis of qualitative research on return to work among employees with common mental disorders
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
back to work
review
sick leave
mental health
social support
return to work
qualitative research
rehabilitation
mental disorder
rtw
meta-synthesis
common mental disorder
work accommodation
mental illness
meta-ethnography
title Meta-synthesis of qualitative research on return to work among employees with common mental disorders
title_full Meta-synthesis of qualitative research on return to work among employees with common mental disorders
title_fullStr Meta-synthesis of qualitative research on return to work among employees with common mental disorders
title_full_unstemmed Meta-synthesis of qualitative research on return to work among employees with common mental disorders
title_short Meta-synthesis of qualitative research on return to work among employees with common mental disorders
title_sort meta synthesis of qualitative research on return to work among employees with common mental disorders
topic back to work
review
sick leave
mental health
social support
return to work
qualitative research
rehabilitation
mental disorder
rtw
meta-synthesis
common mental disorder
work accommodation
mental illness
meta-ethnography
url https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3257
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AT karinamnielsen metasynthesisofqualitativeresearchonreturntoworkamongemployeeswithcommonmentaldisorders
AT svendbrinkmann metasynthesisofqualitativeresearchonreturntoworkamongemployeeswithcommonmentaldisorders