Table 1.

Characteristics of included studies

First author	Year	Country	Setting	Outcome definition	Final sample size	N factors	Quality score
Sub acute phase: 6–12 weeks since first day of injury/sick leave
Reme (22)	2009	Norway	Secondary care	RTW	175	12	19
Truchon (23)	2010	Canada	WC	RTW	296	9	17
Gross (70)	2004	Canada	WC	RTW	114 & 132 (2 cohorts)	3	15
Joy (24)	2001	USA	Secondary care	RTW	115	6	14
Truchon (25)	2005	Canada	WC	RTW	321	4	14
Schultz (34)	2004	Canada	WC	RTW	214	9	14
Chronic phase >12 weeks since first day of injury/sick leave
Gross (36)	2005	Canada	Tertiary care	Benefits	228 & 210 (2 cohorts)	8	21
Gauthier (19)	2006	Canada	Tertiary care;	Benefits	255	7	19
Okurowski (26)	2003	USA	WC	Benefits	962	4	19
Gross (71)	2005	Canada	OHS	RTW	45	4	18
Storheim (33)	2005	Norway	Secondary care	Benefits	93	3	18
Anema (72)	2004	Multinational	OHS; WC	RTW	1631	3	17
Blackwell (20)	2004	USA	WC	Benefits	227	9	17
Van der Giezen (27)	2000	ISSA study: Netherlands	WC	RTW	298	12	16
Koopman (73)	2004	Netherlands	Tertiary care	RTW	51	5	15
Anema (29)	2009	ISSA study	WC	RTW	2444	19	14
Mayer (74)	2001	USA	Tertiary care	RTW	1052		13
Hansson (28)	2000	ISSA study	Occupational health services	RTW	2106	3	11
Vendrig (21)	1999	Netherlands	Secondary care	RTW	137	16	11
Hazard (30)	1991	USA	Secondary & tertiary care	RTW	195 (1 year), 69 (2 years)	6	11
Gallagher (75)	1989	USA	Primary care; WC	RTW	140	6+ interactions	9
Gatchel (31)	1994	USA	Tertiary care	RTW	152	1	8

WC Worker’s compensation, OHS Occupational health service, RTW Return to work, Benefits workers compensation/disability benefits