title: Health care professionals' experience-based understanding of individuals' capacity to work while depressed and anxious.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The meaning of capacity to work while depressed and anxious is not well comprehended. The aim of this study was to explore and describe health care professionals' experience-based understanding of capacity to work in individuals with depression and/or anxiety disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  An exploratory qualitative design was used. Four focus groups were conducted with 21 professionals from psychiatric, occupational, and primary health care. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Capacity to work while depressed and anxious was understood as a change from the familiar to a no longer recognizable performance at work. Managing time, daily work demands, and emotions was described as difficult for the patients, and capacity to work could be fragmented by anxiety attacks. Patients were perceived as continuing to work while life outside work crumbled. Capacity to work was described as part of a greater whole, the work community, and the patient's participation in the work community was considered problematic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings provide a deeper understanding of the reduced capacity to work compared with theoretical or medico-administrative descriptions. Applied to patient encounters it could promote fitness-for-work dialogues, rehabilitation, and tailor-made work interventions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine/Social Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Sweden.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertilsson
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Löve
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ahlborg
authors.forename: Gunnel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hensing
mesh_terms: D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D017748:Time Management; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology*; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology
keywords: fitness for work; focus groups; mental disorders; qualitative analysis; work capacity