RecruitingACTRN12609000843257

Does Self Management Increase The Effectiveness Of Vocational Rehabilitation For Chronic Compensated Musculoskeletal Disorders?

Does Self Management for Chronic Compensated Musculoskeletal Disorders increase the effectiveness of Vocational Rehabilitation outcomes?

Sponsor

Health Services Australia Group

Enrollment

366 participants

Start Date

Sep 15, 2009

Study Type

Interventional

Conditions

Chronic Compensated Musculoskeletal Disorders

Summary

In this project a new intervention for the vocational rehabilitation of chronic compensated musculoskeletal disorders will be developed. The intervention will add self-management training to usual care for injured workers who have transitioned from the acute to chronic stage of their musculoskeletal condition. Study participants will be recruited through one of the industry partners, Health Services Australia, a national provider of occupational health services and vocational rehabilitation. The participants who meet the inclusion criteria will be recruited from clinics in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Tasmania or Adelaide. Participants will be randomised into two study arms: the new model for management or a control group who will receive usual care. Acceptability, effectiveness (job readiness, health efficacy and pain) and the cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of the new model compared to usual care will be assessed using tools which have been pre-tested with this target group. Aims: 1. To develop and document, in care protocols, an intervention which adds self-management to vocational rehabilitation for patients with chronic compensated musculoskeletal disorders. 2. To test the acceptability of the intervention to patients, their vocational rehabilitation providers’, policy makers and regulators through qualitative research with representatives from each group. 3. To test the effectiveness of the intervention by comparing readiness to return-to-work, health efficacy and pain in a group of patients who receive the intervention and a control group who receive usual care (single blind randomised controlled trial). 4. To assess the cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit of the intervention. Hypotheses: 1. That adding self management to vocational rehabilitation will be acceptable to patients, health-care providers, policy makers and regulators. 2. The proportion of workers who are classified as ready to return-to-work based on a validated scale (the ‘Prepared for action - Self-evaluative or Maintenance-Uncertain or Maintenance-Uncertain category’) will be significantly different for those participating in the self-management program. This will be achieved through an improvement in their health efficacy (as defined by the heiQ questionnaire). 3. Adding self-management to active treatment and vocational rehabilitation will be worthwhile from an efficiency perspective, i.e. the productivity gains from adding the program shall be greater in dollar value than the societal costs of the program.

Eligibility

Sex: Both males and femalesMin Age: 18 YearssMax Age: 65 Yearss

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This study is testing a new program that adds self-management skills training on top of the usual care given to workers who have been off work for 3 months or more because of a muscle or joint injury. The idea is that if injured workers learn to better manage their own health and wellbeing, they will be more ready to return to work. Researchers will compare the new program to standard care to see if it helps people get back to work faster and feel better. You may be eligible if: - You are between 18 and 65 years old - You have a diagnosed muscle or joint (musculoskeletal) condition lasting at least 3 months that has caused you to miss work - You have been referred to a vocational rehabilitation provider (such as Work Solutions/Health Services Australia) - You were working at the time of your injury - You are a new referral to the service - You have enough English to complete a self-management course You may NOT be eligible if: - Your condition shows signs of a serious underlying illness (such as a tumour, systemic disease, or infection) - Your primary condition is psychiatric Talk to your doctor about whether this trial might be right for you.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

The study introduces a vocational rehabilitation intervention (self management) to the vocational rehabilitation sector. The model will add self-management training to usual care for injured workers with subacute or chronic compensated musculoskeletal conditions. Self-management is a process that involves engaging individuals in activities and practices that sustain and promote health and well-being. It has been shown to be effective in chronic illness care through improving self-efficacy and wellness behaviours. The well-established Lorig self-management program (developed by the Stanford University in the USA) shall be used as the intervention in this study, but it has been adapted to cater more specifically for our study population. That is, modules concerned with ‘managing return-to-work’ and ‘navigating the compensation systems’ have been developed and will be added to the existing six module training program. Thus, the intervention being evaluated consists of eight 2-hour self-management training sessions. The sessions will be held weekly, over consecutive eight-week periods. The program will be delivered by health professionals and lay leaders who have been trained to conduct the sessions.

Locations(1)

Australia

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ACTRN12609000843257