Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies
| Review 1: facilitators of and barriers to return-to-work (qualitative studies) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study | Country | Sample size | Population; type of injury/illness | Method of data collection | Research focus | |||||||||
| Bunzli et al. 2017 [28] | AU | 93 | Compensable musculoskeletal or psychological injury; 71% male; mean age, 48 years | Individual interviews (semi-structured) | Influence of the wider social context on injured workers’ fear of (re)injury and RTW behaviour | |||||||||
| Buys et al. 2017 [29] | AU | 17 | Non-specific work-related injury or illness; 41.1% male; (age: 35–64 years) | Group interviews (semi-structured) | The relationship between disability management and organisational culture in Australian and Canadian organisations | |||||||||
| Cheng et al. 2011 [30] | CN | 12 | Non-specific work-related injury or illness; 75% male; mean age in years (SD), 34.77 (4.94) | Focus groups | The views of key RTW stakeholders on necessary activities for RTW coordination | |||||||||
| Kosny et al. 2012 [31] | CA | 9 | Non-specific work-related injury or illness; all male; (Age: 40–60+ years) | Focus groups | The role that co-workers play after a work-related injury and during the RTW process in the unionized, electrical construction sector | |||||||||
| Lysaght et al. 2008 [32] | CA | 18 | Non-specific work-related injury or illness; 22.2% male; mean age, 47.7 years | Individual interviews (open) | Workplace disability support | |||||||||
| MacEachen et al. 2007 [33] | CA | 37 | Non-specific work-related injury or illness; 62.2% male; (age: 30–69 years) | Individual interviews (semi-structured) | Injured worker peer support groups | |||||||||
| Mansfield et al. 2014 [34] | CA | 13 | Electrical workers who have experienced an electrical injury at work; all male | Individual interviews (semi-structured) | Social, institutional, and relational elements that workers perceived to influence RTW | |||||||||
| Mullen et al. 2015 [35] | US | 16 | Nurses who have experienced work-related musculoskeletal pain/disorders; all female; mean age in years (SD), 51.5 (7.4) | Individual interviews (semi-structured) | Nurses perspectives of obstacles and motivations to return to work | |||||||||
| Norland et al. 2013 [36] | SE | 12 | Work-related exhaustive disorder (burnout); 16.7% male; mean age, 39 years | Individual interviews (semi-structured) | Experiences and thoughts in the process of RTW | |||||||||
| Soklaridis et al. 2010 [37] | CA | 6 | Work-related back pain | Focus groups | Psychosocial variables that influence RTW | |||||||||
| Thornthwaite et al. 2017 [38] | AU | 20 | Non-specific work-related injury or illness; 60% male | Individual interviews (semi-structured) | Perceptions and experiences of injured workers interactions with insurers and employers | |||||||||
| Review 2: predictors of return-to-work (cohort and case control studies) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study | Country | Sample size | Population; type of injury/illness | Design | Injury onset to baseline | Follow-up period | Outcome | Predictors | ||||||
| Cohort studies | ||||||||||||||
| de Vente et al. 2015 [40] | NL | 71 | Work-related stress complaints; 58% female; mean age in years (SD), 41.61 (9.48) | Prospective cohort | 2 weeks to 6 months | 13 months | RTW (full return at follow-up) | Co-worker and supervisor support | ||||||
| Jetha et al. 2017 [42] | AU | 551 | Work-related musculoskeletal pain/disorders; 48.8% male; 18–55+ years | Prospective cohort | > 10 days to 2 months since claim accepted | 6 months | Sustained RTW (28 days or longer; baseline: 1–6 months post-injury; follow-up: 6 months after baseline) | Supervisor support; co-worker support | ||||||
| Kong et al. 2012 [43] | CN | 335 | Non-specific work-related injury or illness; 86% male; mean age in years (SD), 36.3 (9.7) | Retrospective cohort | Unknown | 3–8 months | RTW (sustained for at least 3 continuous months during follow-up) | Family attitudes to RTW; personal feeling on social support for RTW | ||||||
| Li-Tsang et al. [45] | HK | 75 | Work-related repetitive strain injuries (age: 20–65 years) | Prospective cohort | < 3 years | – | RTW (employment status; 3.5 years post-injury) | Short Form 36 (SF-36) (social functioning) | ||||||
| Marois et al. 2009 [46] | CA | 222 | Work-related musculoskeletal pain/disorders; 59% male; mean age in years (SD), 39.1 (9.4) | Prospective cohort | Minimum 12 weeks | - | RTW (full-time or part-time, or those capable of RTW but unable due to obstacles unrelated to their injury or illness) | Loss of employment relationship; maintenance of contact between employee/employer; co-worker relationships; social isolation | ||||||
| Netterstrom et al. 2015 [47] | DK | 223 | Work-related common mental disorders; 19.7% male; mean age in years (SD), 44.2 (8.8) | Prospective cohort | Minimum 2 months | 1 and 3 years | RTW (full time at baseline or follow-up) | Social support from colleagues and leader; low degree of justice; bullying | ||||||
| Reme et al. 2012 [48] | US | 496 | Work-related back pain; 58.1% male; mean age in years (SD), 37 (11.3) | Prospective cohort | < 14 days | 3 months | RTW (work status at follow-up) | Workplace friendship; organisational support | ||||||
| Case–control studies | ||||||||||||||
| Boot et al. 2014 [39] | CA | 1561 | Work-related back pain; 50.7% male; mean age in years (SD), 38.9 (11.1) | Case-control | – | 12 months | RTW (any, including same/different employer, or modified work at follow-up) | Supervisor support | ||||||
| Holtedahl et al. 2007 [41] | NO | 174 | Non-specific work-related injury or illness; 56.8% male; mean age in years (SD), 43 (11) | Case-control | – | – | RTW (1–10 years post-injury; working full time, not working) | Social functioning (SF-36) | ||||||
| Lee et al. 2015 [44] | KR | 2000 | Non-specific work-related injury or illness; 84.3% male | Case-control | – | – | RTW (job retention, reemployment, unpaid family worker, self-employment; 24 months after terminating medical care) | Maintenance of relationship with employer | ||||||
| St-Arnaud et al. 2007 [49] | CA | 1850 | Work-related common mental disorders; 26% male; mean age in years (SD), 45 (8.3) | Case-control | – | – | RTW (not further specified; within 12 months) | Conflict with supervisors and/or co-workers; recognition of efforts | ||||||
| Watt et al. 2015 [50] | AU | 110 | Non-specific work-related injury or illness; 39% male; mean age in years (SD), 46.40 (11.06) | Case-control | – | – | RTW (durable: currently employed or previous employed > 12 months; non-durable: < 12 months) | Relationships with superior and colleagues; social support outside of the workplace | ||||||
NL Netherlands, AU Australia, CN Canada, HK Hong Kong, DK Denmark, US United States of America, NO Norway, KR South Korea