Project STEP-UP: Participatory interventions for return-to-work for temporary agency workers and unemployed workers, sick listed due to musculoskeletal disorders. A randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness evaluation.
Background
Musculoskeletal disorders are next to mental disorders, the most common cause for sickness absence and work disability in the working population of the Netherlands and other countries. The same applies to the vulnerable working population, i.e. temporary agency workers and unemployed workers. The number of applications for and awarded disability benefits is significantly higher among this group, compared to sicklisted employees.For the vulnerable working population there is a need for new and tailor-made return-to-work methods, which aim at stimulating return-to-work, creating an actual (therapeutic) workplace and which are evidence-based. Recently, a cost-effective protocol for participatory ergonomics as a return-to-work intervention was developed for employees sicklisted 2 to 6 weeks due to nonspecific low back pain. A comparable method for temporary agency workers and unemployed workers, sicklisted due to muscoloskeletal disorders, is not available at present and cost-effectiveness is unknown.