Multivariate correlations between pain, life interference, health-related quality of life and full-time sick leave 1 year after multimodal rehabilitation, focus on gender and age

Abstract

Background: Chronic pain is a major and complex health condition associated with reduced work performance. A multimodal rehabilitation programme (MMRP) is a common intervention for chronic pain conditions, the goal being for the person to maintain or return to work. Aim: To investigate the multivariate relationships between health-related quality of life, life interference, pain, physiological factors before MMRP and full-time sick leave 1 year after MMRP. Material and Methods: Data were collected from the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation. The study included 284 participants. Separate analyses were performed for women, men and three age groups. Results: There were correlations between sick leave, physical functioning, pain duration, healthrelated quality of life, and self-assessed importance of work before MMRP and sick leave 1 year after MMRP. The patterns of factors associated with full-time sick leave varied for women, men and age groups. Conclusions: These findings indicate that full-time sick leave for patients with chronic pain is affected by a number of interacting factors. Occupational therapy interventions aiming to develop activity skills in relation to work roles and enable patients to develop skills required to manage the physical, psychological and social demands to return to work or maintain work could be valuable to increase the possibility of attaining a sustainable work situation.

Work Interventions Within Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Programs (IPRP) – Frequency, Patient Characteristics, and Association with Self-Rated Work Ability

“…These results agree with an earlier study on the SQRP population. 46 As there are differences between women and men regarding factors affecting the results of IPRP concerning sick leave, 47 future studies should include gender analysis.…”

Interdisciplinary Multimodal Pain Rehabilitation in Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in Primary Care—A Cohort Study from the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation (SQRP)

“…For studies in Sweden, where IMMRPs’ effect on sick leave has been evaluated, several factors have been identified that affect sick leave and return to work. In a recent study from specialist care [ 53 ], it was seen that high sickness absence, low physical activity, long pain duration, and low health-related quality of life before IMMRP increased the risk of full-time sick leave at the 1-year follow-up. The study concluded that it is important that patients receive an earlier intervention to reduce the probability of sick leave even after IMMRP.…”