Article type
Year
Abstract
Background
Work participation is an important outcome in research which includes people of working age and in particular occupational health research However, there are no standardised definitions of measurements of common work outcomes such as return to work or sickness absence. As a first step in developing a core outcome set for work participation we undertook a systemic review with the aim of establishing:
1. Which outcomes, definitions of outcomes and outcome measurement instruments are used in trials of interventions that aim to promote work participation either directly or indirectly, in workers with a health problem?
2. What rationale, theory, perspective or framework for selection of outcomes and measurement instruments are reported in these trials?
Methods
We searched Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library for RCT’s published between 01/01/2014 and 21/05/2019. Trials were included on any type of intervention which measured work participation outcomes, with participants of the working age, who were either currently employed or seeking competitive employment. A total of 10,222 abstracts and 819 full text articles were screened, and 500 articles were eligible for inclusion.
Results
A large amount of heterogeneity in outcome reporting was established. Authors rarely report on why certain outcome measurement methods are chosen. Results show that outcomes are distributed around four main outcome categories: employment status; employability; absence from paid work and at-work productivity loss.
Conclusion
The results of our review will be used as input for developing an internationally agreed, standardised core outcome set for work participation.
Work participation is an important outcome in research which includes people of working age and in particular occupational health research However, there are no standardised definitions of measurements of common work outcomes such as return to work or sickness absence. As a first step in developing a core outcome set for work participation we undertook a systemic review with the aim of establishing:
1. Which outcomes, definitions of outcomes and outcome measurement instruments are used in trials of interventions that aim to promote work participation either directly or indirectly, in workers with a health problem?
2. What rationale, theory, perspective or framework for selection of outcomes and measurement instruments are reported in these trials?
Methods
We searched Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library for RCT’s published between 01/01/2014 and 21/05/2019. Trials were included on any type of intervention which measured work participation outcomes, with participants of the working age, who were either currently employed or seeking competitive employment. A total of 10,222 abstracts and 819 full text articles were screened, and 500 articles were eligible for inclusion.
Results
A large amount of heterogeneity in outcome reporting was established. Authors rarely report on why certain outcome measurement methods are chosen. Results show that outcomes are distributed around four main outcome categories: employment status; employability; absence from paid work and at-work productivity loss.
Conclusion
The results of our review will be used as input for developing an internationally agreed, standardised core outcome set for work participation.