[Treatment of stress, sick leave and occupational stability].
BACKGROUND
The aim was to describe a rehabilitation process of individuals with stress-related adjustment disorders and analysing the prognostic impact of certain individual factors with sick leave and work resumption as outcome.


METHODS
A retrospective cohort from the period 1996-2004 was conducted by means of an audit of 220 files of patients who have visited an occupational health care unit.


RESULTS
A still increasing number of patients, mainly working in public health and welfare institutions, were admitted during the nine year study period. The average rehabilitation duration was 144 days (range: 3-689). After that period a decrease in the number of individuals on sick leave was found, and a total of 62% had returned to work or remained in work. The only individual predictor having negative impact on ability to work was psychopharmacologic drug treatment (Odds Ratio: 0.43: 0.23-0.81), whereas somatic drug treatment, age, gender, skill, workplace, matrimony, and smoking all were without any significant influence on work ability.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that an occupational rehabilitation process of patients with stress-related adjustment disorders seems to improve ability to resume work, but a minor group, especially those in psychopharmacologic drug treatment, need prolonged rehabilitation. More rigorous study design is needed to confirm these findings.
Lander
Flemming
F
Sygehus Viborg, Arbejdsmedicinsk Klinik, Skive. flemming.lander@dadlnet.dk
Friche
Claus
C
Knudsen
Hugo
H
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011379:Prognosis; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs