title: The challenges that employees who abuse substances experience when returning to work after completion of employee assistance programme (EAP).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are responsible for helping employees cope with problems such as: mental distress, alcoholism and other drug dependencies, marital and financial difficulties--in short, the whole host of personal and family troubles endemic to the human condition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study explored the challenges that employees who abuse substances experience when returning to work after the completion of an employee assistance program.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used a qualitative exploratory descriptive research design. Three male participants and two key informants participated in the study. One semi structured interview was conducted with each one of the participants and one semi structured interview with the key informants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four themes emerged: 1) Loss of one's worker role identity, 2) Negative influences of the community continues to effect the success of EAP, 3) EAP as a vehicle for change and, 4) Healthy occupations strengthen EAP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study portrayed the following: how substance abuse effect the worker role of individuals employed in the open labor market, the challenges and facilitators experienced by employees who abuse substances when returning to their previous work roles and how occupation based interventions can be incorporated in EAP programs. Occupational therapists could use the health promotion approach, work simplification, energy conservation techniques and ergonomic analysis techniques.
authors.forename: Shaheed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soeker
authors.forename: Tandokazi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matimba
authors.forename: Last
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Machingura
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Msimango
authors.forename: Bobo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moswaane
authors.forename: Sinazo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tom
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009786:Occupational Health Services; D015279:Organizational Culture; D024382:Professional Role; D065840:Protective Factors; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012008:Recurrence; D062707:Return to Work; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*
keywords: Keywords; Occupation based intervention; corporate environment; qualitative research and occupational performance; substance abuse