This Research Summary Page lists the most recent reviews under each heading,
click the headings to see all the research on that subject.
Research is chosen for review based on the quality of the evidence and its practical
value in return to work.
Requests to undertake reviews of research on particular subjects are welcome.
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Depression exacerbates and prolongs pain. What does this mean for the workplace?
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A look at the workplace factors associated with repeat visits to back pain clinics
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What makes some people more likely to participate in physical activity than others?
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Workplace health program shows reductions in total health costs and improvements in productivity
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Might a more involved approach to the case management of workers with musculoskeletal disorders cost less AND facilitate return to work?
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The Model of Creative Ability may be a useful tool in return-to-work programs to assess and measure motivation.
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Clinicians are good at putting medical pieces of the patient-puzzle in place. What happens when they forget about psychosocial pieces?
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Lower back pain poses problems for supermarket workers, but chances are they wont tell
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This study investigates the link between osteoarthritis in the facet joints of the spine and the presence of low back pain.
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A recent review of the literature has identified the core competencies that are important for effective return-to-work coordination.
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Education, behavioural change and support: Effective coaching methods to assist patients
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What are the barriers to effective management of depression in the workplace?
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Job satisfaction and engagement both influence work attendance.
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How to maximize employee participation in workplace health promotion programs...
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Can workplace back safety education programs reduce the risk of back injuries and complications?
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Why a present worker is not always a good worker...
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While some doctors follow best practice guidelines for lower back pain, many get it wrong...
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Researchers examine the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating chronic low back pain.
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Research shows that health improvement programs are both physically and financially successful.
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Workers care about support and respect in the workplace and notice whether health and safety are management priorities.
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When looking at the factors which impact upon workplace productivity, we also need to look at the studies that assessed them.
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Want healthy workers? A well designed workplace health program can help!
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This study identified a range of factors that influence when workers with neck and low-back (spine-related) pain take extended sick leave.
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Investigating these costs more thoroughly will enable employers to develop strategies for effectively reducing health costs
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And the causes.
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Productivity declines more when unwell people are at work rather than absent.
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The factors in your private life that may affect your professional one
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An overview of whiplash injury
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Treatment with opioids delays return to work and prolongs symptoms
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Generic prognostic factors may assist primary care practitioners to identify those patients with musculoskeletal pain who are at risk of poor outcomes, regardless of the site of their pain.
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Clinicians and leading researchers evaluate the effectiveness of early screening in preventing long-term disability in patients with back problems.
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Training gives supervisors clarity and confidence; and clear, confident supervisors support RTW.
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What do supervisors think about multidisciplinary vocational rehabilitation programs?
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The evidence is in: when employers join workers on the RTW journey, the sky's the limit!
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What psychological treatments work for post traumatic stress disorder?
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Rotator cuff treatments that work...and a couple that don't!
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Shoulder problems are common. Having a standard management system in place can streamline return to work.
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A web-based approach to managing stress and mood disorders
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A two-year study shows the continuing benefits of comprehensive rehab.
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Young male workers need to be educated about the work and health consequences of risky drinking.
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Advice for health professionals about the best attitudes for patients to adopt on the road to recovery.
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Many 'self care' coaches have no formal training. Does coaching the coaches improve performance?
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Does good leadership promote good health?
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An evidence-based guide for managing depression-related occupational disability
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On the job rehabilitation can improve outcomes for people with psychiatric disabilities.
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Better disability management programs can make a difference
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Neck pain is a common condition in workers, and psychosocial factors influence outcomes.
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How effective is individual patient education for people with low back pain?
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What prevents doctors from applying best clinical practice when issuing certificates for sick leave?
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Management and supervisors overestimate the level of satifaction workers have in their jobs.
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How do different country's disability benefits and policies for occupational low back pain affect return to work rates?
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Peer support helps put the pieces back together after workplace injury
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Psychosocial approaches to managing arthritis help sufferers make the most of medical care.
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Do health promotion programs improve the health and driving safety of truck drivers?
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Knowing what psychosocial factors affect recovery from low back pain can help target employee interventions
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What impact do financial pressures have on the use and effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation for injured workers?
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Psychotherapies are an important but underutilised part of depression treatment
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From the horse's mouth: The competencies required for success
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Occupational health research IS relevant to policy development: but what kinds of research are best?
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A number of simple initiatives can have a positive impact on timely return to work and decrease costs.
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A step-by-step guide for best practice diagnosis of back pain
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A mixed bag of workplace interventions have been trialled over the last 20 years. What works?
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A person's beliefs about back problems influence how they engage with treatment, so providing the right information is vital.
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Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), graded exercise therapy (GET) and good planning get chronic fatigue sufferers back to work.
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People with chronic low back pain can lose their sense of control over life, a major demotivating factor
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Pessimistic beliefs about back pain can prolong suffering and prevent proper treatment
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Research shows that older workers CAN work overtime and remain productive
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Less invasive treatments should be first port of call for low back pain.
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Are neurocognitive impairments being identified early enough, or at all, after critical illness?
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What makes a good case manager?
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What does the research tell us about physical work and the impact on back pain?
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A range of studies explore whether psychosocial factors contribute to the development of back pain
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Researchers have developed a questionnaire to help identify when perceptions of injustice may be jeopardising RTW.
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This study looks at the effect of preventive coaching on employees with psychosocial health complaints - and identifies some barriers to employee participation.
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How do we diagnose and treat chronic pain?
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The US demonstrates how overtreating back pain causes more pain.
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Employer reactions can determine RTW outcomes: making workers welcome matters
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Collaboration between mental health and employment agencies assists return to work, but how do we foster collaboration?
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Teamwork is an art and a science. Learn to nurture it with style!
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In this battle of the lower back pain heavyweights, who comes out on top and why?
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Canadian researchers conclude that employees have the goods to make participatory ergonomics a success.
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Disability prevention researchers benefit from collaboration and communication in an innovative Canadian program
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New research suggests that stress claims aren't as big a mystery as employers tend to think...
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A look at the factors which predict psychosocial sick leave.
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Practitioners under-prescribe key effective treatments: Education, exercise and weight loss
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Chronic pain is a notoriously obstinate barrier to RTW. Is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy the card we need to play?
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Who falls in the anti-collaboration chasm when doctors and insurers have different ideas about what 'work ability' involves?
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Do online physical activity programs work? And are cash incentives good for motivation?
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Investigating obesity-related costs for employers.
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Do fit people recover from whiplash more quickly?
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Changes to NSW workers' comp legislation had some interesting outcomes
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How effective are exercises in treating mechanical neck problems?
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A comparison of the effectiveness of multidisciplinary rehabilitation and standard care in the treatment of neck and shoulder pain.
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A review of the effectiveness of non-surgical treatments for chronic low back pain.
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What do people with different kinds of back pain believe about pain and how do these beliefs impact recovery?
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With harmonisation hopefully imminent, it's a good time to look at and learn from Australia's history of workers' comp.
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Post-whiplash, fit people recover quickly and return to work promptly
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A range of studies assess personal factors and how they influence work-related back pain
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Are they good policy? Do they work? How can they be improved?
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Identifying the needs of families caring for someone with a traumatic brain injury.
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Exercise, behavioural and multimodal programs: What works for RTW and why?
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Short and long term pain is common in the 18-25 year old age group
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Studies suggest that it is possible to identify workers at risk of developing psychological distress and intervene before productivity suffers!
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According to one study, only 52% of work related injury and illness gets reported
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An overview of the complex factors influencing the return to work of sick and injured workers, and recommendations as to return to work strategies can be improved.
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What can employers do to tackle the problem of job dissatisfaction?
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Returning to work after cancer treatment is difficult, but employers can make a difference
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Comprehensive equals effective when it comes to workplace health and wellbeing programs...
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Workplace flexibility is associated with better employee health
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Are steroid injections an effective way to treat acute back pain?
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Home exercise is a cheap and effective way to improve back pain
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Know the facts about this common skin condition
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There is debate over how to classify sciatica, and how common it is.
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is non-physical violence, and how does it impact the workplace?
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A study looking at factors influencing the return to work and recovery of injured workers in California
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Brief, face-to-face education works best for chronic LBP rehabilitation
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Physiotherapy for acute back pain is good in the short term, but education and movement bring long term benefits.
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Alcohol consumption and work absenteeism: Educating workers and preventing absence
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There is a good business case for educating your workforce about depression
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We all know depression is a problem, but do we recognise depression when we see it?
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This article explores some of the ways to manage and prevent major depression in the workplace.
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Depression is the most significant contributor to reduced productivity
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Understanding the causes of depression in the workplace
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Clinical principles for the use of antidepressants, and the effectiveness of other treatments in preventing relapse
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A short survey can help predict a worker's likelihood of returning to work after treatment for injury.
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Recognising the risk factors for long term disability can help employers reduce the burden of workers' compensation.
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Changes in psychosocial aspects of work affect employee health and wellbeing
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A short guide to depression busting in the workplace
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Good organisational leadership reduces sick leave and disability
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If a sense of workplace control is linked to good health, how can it be fostered?
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Contrary to expectations, sedentary workers are more likely than heavy workers to lead inactive lives
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Clear goals and helpful tools ensure that workplace interventions pack a real punch
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Introducing the basics and explaining the terminology
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How obesity impacts the workplace
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Psychological distress, heavy lifting and fear of activity are better predictors of back pain than MRI scans.
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How to help patients adhere to treatment recommendations
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Lowering the costs of mental health problems for governments, employers, families and sufferers
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Decisions made in occupational health care that follow the 5-step protocol of evidence based medicine have good outcomes for workers and employers.
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Understanding work and cost outcomes of overuse arm problems.
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What puts men and women at risk of taking long term sick leave? This study explores the roles played by psychological distress and fatigue.
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A clinical study has identified that the development and persistence of post-traumatic stress disorder following major trauma is not related to injury severity, but may be associated with factors such as blaming others for the accident and processes invol
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Intervention by nurse case managers during the first week after onset of back pain improves workers' satisfaction with their employer and healthcare provider and reduces sick leave absences.
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Early intervention programs for lower back pain aim to keep workers in the workplace. How can you ensure that yours is a success?
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A Canadian study explores the relationship between neck pain and lost time claims.
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Certain factors put people at risk of recurrent neck pain. What predicts recovery? This study examines the evidence.
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Safety incentive programs may reduce workplace injury rates but they can also cause under-reporting.
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This literature review examines some examples of the positive effects of participatory ergonomic (PE) intervention on improving workers' health.
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Employer response to injury impacts employee recovery. This study identifies where employers go wrong and how to fix it!
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The best work disability programs are broader than return to work management. Improving the health of the workforce reduces absenteesim, compensation costs and improves productivity.
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Fibromyalgia can be managed through a combination of physical and psychological rehabilitation.
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There is more to chronic widespread pain, than pain itself.
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Case Study NSW: How do changes to a compensation system effect whiplash recovery outcomes?
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A public health campaign in Scotland has improved people's understanding and beliefs about back problems.
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Job satisfaction improves mental health. Task variety, colleagues, and general working conditions improve overall job satisfaction.
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A broad and comprehensive approach to exploring return to work issues is provided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF).
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Chronic pain is challenging to manage - here is a case that was complex but where input and a structured approach paid off.
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Long term claimants commonly describe a system that is frustrating, does not consider their needs, and misses out on treating them as an individual.
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A look at barriers to return to work for those out of work for two years. Return to work after being off work for long periods is challenging and uncommon, understanding the barriers is vital.
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A sense of control over the situation improves return to work outcomes.
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Implementation of an 'organisational rehabilitation' program that identified and addressed employee's individual concerns with their work environment resulted in a substantial reduction in sick leave absences and the associated costs.
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The current understanding of the occurrence of multiple regional chronic pain syndromes is discussed and concludes more research is needed.
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A self-evaluation tool is described which may assist healthcare professionals to develop self-resilience and equip them to identify, prioritise and achieve personal and professional goals.
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This follow-up study examined the relationship between the after-hours physical activity of workers and their absences from work due to sick leave.
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Improved understanding about neck problems helps the patient get a better grasp on their condition, what can be done to improve the situation and what is likely to occur. It also helps treaters, workplaces, insurers and policy makers.
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Neck pain commonly follows a persistent or recurrent course. Between 60% to 80% of workers who advise a sore neck at some point report they have a sore neck a year later. Workers who exercise do better, and white collar workers return to work sooner.
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The Task Force on Neck Pain was a major undertaking, seeking to review and summarise information on neck pain problems, treatments, and what can be done to improve neck pain outcomes.
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Return to work programs are more likely to have positive outcomes if participants have a stable relationship with a doctor who is attentive and empathetic, and provide good information about health and social options.
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People with musculoskeletal disorders and accompanying depression or anxiety have reduced levels of workforce participation. Tailored return-to-work programs that offer more intensive and continuous levels of support may help.
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Workplace intervention programs to reduce injuries, absenteeism and turnover among nurses should be designed to address the key factors of role ambiguity and role conflict, and improve workplace cohesion.
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While Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a significantly debilitating and lengthy illness, there is evidence to suggest a return to work is possible after effective treatment. Medical retirement should not be considered too early.
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Based on the rationale that it is easier to keep a job than to find a new one, the new focus of vocational rehabilitation for workers with chronic conditions is empowering the worker to stay in their original position.
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Surveys can help identify factors that will improve RTW
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Lessons learnt from an integrated case management approach for arm problems
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There is solid research evidence that return to work management programs improve the 'bottom line'.
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Evidence for and against common treatments for shoulder and elbow pain.
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If you feel you can cope with a difficult situation will you get back to work earlier?
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Identify high-risk patients to pip long term back problems at the proverbial post
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A detailed review of the tasks and role of coordinators
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