title: Returning to work after long term sickness absence due to low back pain - the struggle within: a qualitative study of the patient's experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low back pain (LBP) is a major cause of work absence. Assisting individuals back into work is an important part of rehabilitation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the experiences of individuals returning to work after an episode of sickness absence due to LBP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five women employed by a UK University who had returned to work.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this qualitative study, participants underwent semi-structured interviews about their experiences. The transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two primary themes emerged 1) perceived pressure to return to work and 2) strategies employed to relieve the pressure to return. Pressure to return to work arose from a number of sources including guilt and a personal work ethic, internally, and from colleagues and management, externally. This pressure led to the individual employing a number of strategies to reduce it. These ranged from a simple denial of health concerns and decision to return to work regardless of their condition, to placing the responsibility of the decision not to return to work onto a significant other, such as a family member or health care professional.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals returning to work with LBP experience considerable pressure to return and use a range of strategies to mediate that pressure.
authors.affiliation: Health and Social Care Institute, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.
authors.forename: Cormac G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lauchlan
authors.affiliation: Health and Social Care Institute, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.
authors.forename: Leigh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.affiliation: University of Salford, Greater Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hollins Martins
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK Healthy Working Lives Research Group, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D062707:Return to Work / Q000523:psychology*; D012606:Scotland; D018582:Sick Leave; D014495:Universities
keywords: Rehabilitation; interpretative phenomenological analysis; work absence