Reducing sick leave of Dutch vocational school students: adaptation of a sick leave protocol using the intervention mapping process.
OBJECTIVE
Since the extent of sick leave and the problems of vocational school students are relatively large, we aimed to tailor a sick leave protocol at Dutch lower secondary education schools to the particular context of vocational schools.


METHODS
Four steps of the iterative process of Intervention Mapping (IM) to adapt this protocol were carried out: (1) performing a needs assessment and defining a program objective, (2) determining the performance and change objectives, (3) identifying theory-based methods and practical strategies and (4) developing a program plan. Interviews with students using structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews with relevant stakeholders, a literature research and, finally, a pilot implementation were carried out.


RESULTS
A sick leave protocol was developed that was feasible and acceptable for all stakeholders. The main barriers for widespread implementation are time constraints in both monitoring and acting upon sick leave by school and youth health care.


CONCLUSIONS
The iterative process of IM has shown its merits in the adaptation of the manual 'A quick return to school is much better' to a sick leave protocol for vocational school students.
Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. m.dekroon@erasmusmc.nl.|Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.dekroon@erasmusmc.nl.|Department of Public and Occupational Health and EMGO-institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.dekroon@erasmusmc.nl.
Marlou L A
ML
de Kroon
Department of Public and Occupational Health and EMGO-institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jozien
J
Bulthuis
Department of Child Health Care, Public Health Service Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Wico
W
Mulder
Department of Public and Occupational Health and EMGO-institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Frederieke G
FG
Schaafsma
Department of Public and Occupational Health and EMGO-institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Johannes R
JR
Anema
D001290:Attitude; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009426:Netherlands; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016730:Program Development; D062707:Return to Work; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D018582:Sick Leave; D012944:Social Support; D013997:Time Factors
Illegitimate absenteeism; Intervention mapping; School care coordinators; Sick leave reduction; Vocational school students; Youth health care physicians