title: The effect of a workplace intervention programme on return to work after stroke: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of a workplace intervention programme on the rate of return to work of previously employed stroke survivors in the Gauteng province of South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants' workplaces and three hospitals with stroke rehabilitation facilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty stroke survivors between the ages of 18 and 60 years who were employed at the time of stroke onset.
  
  
  METHODS
  The workplace intervention programme was tailored according to functional ability and workplace challenges of each stroke survivor. The control group received usual stroke care which took into consideration job requirements but without workplace intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary outcome was return to work rate. Secondary outcomes included activities of daily living (ADLs), mobility, basic cognitive function and perceived quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At six months follow-up 60% (n = 24) of stroke survivors in the intervention group returned to work compared to 20% (n = 8) in the control group (P <0.001). The odds ratio for return to work for stroke survivors in the intervention group was 5.2. For every unit increase in the ADLs and cognitive assessment score, the odds of return to work increased by 1.7 and 1.3 respectively; those who returned to work had better quality of life than those who did not return to work (P = 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A workplace intervention consisting of workability assessments and workplace visits was effective in facilitating return to work for stroke survivors in the Gauteng province of South Africa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Veronica.Ntsiea@wits.ac.za.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Ntsiea
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Aswegen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Unit, Medical Research Council of South Africa, South Africa.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Olorunju S
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D011788:Quality of Life; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D062707:Return to Work / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013019:South Africa; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation
keywords: Stroke; activities of daily living; quality of life; return to work; vocational rehabilitation