title: Guideline-based care of common mental disorders by occupational physicians (CO-OP study): a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of guideline-based care (GBC) of workers with mental health problems, which promotes counseling by the occupational physician (OP) facilitating return to work (RTW).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized controlled trial with police workers on sick leave due to mental health problems (n = 240), trained OPs delivered GBC in the intervention group. Time to RTW and recurrences during 1-year follow-up, analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models, were compared with usual care (UC) with easy access to a psychologist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GBC by OPs did not result in earlier RTW than UC. Subgroup analysis showed a small effect in favor of GBC for workers with administrative functions and/or "minor" stress-related symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GBC did not differ in RTW compared with UC, but may be beneficial for the majority of workers with minor stress-related disorders.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Rebergen
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bruinvels
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Bezemer
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van der Beek
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van Mechelen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D016272:Occupational Health; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D016495:Police; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011584:Psychology; D018582:Sick Leave