Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: within the occupational health (OH) and insurance medicine (IM) field ‘work participation’ is an important outcome concept. Not only are there several outcomes related to the ‘work participation’ concept, but the instruments that measure these types of outcomes can vary. Lack of standardization in outcome measurement and reporting significantly hinders the synthesis of research.
Objectives: we explored the need for a core outcome set (COS) in the field of OH by performing a pilot review to gain insight into reported outcomes, their terms and definitions, and the type of outcome measurement instruments reported in trials.
Methods: we used trials that were included in seven Cochrane Reviews published at Cochrane Work that described a variety of disorders, OH interventions and work participation (WP) outcomes.
Results: in total 82 trials reported on outcomes including: return to work (RTW), sick leave, absenteeism, work status, functional status, productivity, and work functioning. Outcomes were measured at different follow-up times ranging from a few weeks to four years after baseline; definitions, cut points for RTW or sick leave varied, such as time to first day of 100% RTW, cumulative days off work, sick leave rate; mean monthly sick leave days. Diverse statistics were included such as rates, means, odds or hazard ratios; and different sources, such as self-report data, questionnaires, or administrative databases were used.
Conclusions: the variation in outcomes and measurements highlights the need for a COS-WP, which is relevant within the field of OH. The Coronel Institute of Occupational Health at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam has started an international collaborative project to develop a COS-WP, in collaboration with Cochrane Insurance Medicine and Cochrane W.ork. We call on the international community of practitioners, clients and researchers in occupational health and insurance medicine to help us join forces for the development of such a core outcome set.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: in a later stage we may include one or more patient representatives during the development of the COS.
Objectives: we explored the need for a core outcome set (COS) in the field of OH by performing a pilot review to gain insight into reported outcomes, their terms and definitions, and the type of outcome measurement instruments reported in trials.
Methods: we used trials that were included in seven Cochrane Reviews published at Cochrane Work that described a variety of disorders, OH interventions and work participation (WP) outcomes.
Results: in total 82 trials reported on outcomes including: return to work (RTW), sick leave, absenteeism, work status, functional status, productivity, and work functioning. Outcomes were measured at different follow-up times ranging from a few weeks to four years after baseline; definitions, cut points for RTW or sick leave varied, such as time to first day of 100% RTW, cumulative days off work, sick leave rate; mean monthly sick leave days. Diverse statistics were included such as rates, means, odds or hazard ratios; and different sources, such as self-report data, questionnaires, or administrative databases were used.
Conclusions: the variation in outcomes and measurements highlights the need for a COS-WP, which is relevant within the field of OH. The Coronel Institute of Occupational Health at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam has started an international collaborative project to develop a COS-WP, in collaboration with Cochrane Insurance Medicine and Cochrane W.ork. We call on the international community of practitioners, clients and researchers in occupational health and insurance medicine to help us join forces for the development of such a core outcome set.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: in a later stage we may include one or more patient representatives during the development of the COS.
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