Research Plus

Job placement RCT

The benefits of a job-placement programme as part of vocational rehabilitation is demonstrated in a randomised controlled trial. Sixty-six workers with musculoskeletal injuries, all of whom had been injured at work and had been off work at least six months, were randomly assigned either to a three-week job placement and support group or to a self-placement (control) group. All the participants had attended a ‘work-readiness’ programme designed to address psychosocial barriers after lengthy sick leave. The return-to-work rate was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the job placement group (73%) than in the self-placement group (52%).

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation 2008, online first: doi: 10.1007/s10926-008-9138-z. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10926-008-9138-z

Tags evidence based practice msd - musculoskeletal disorder Return to work

Occupational Health at Work December/January 2008/2009 (vol. 05/4) pp40