This page lists all research updates available on Return to Work Matters.
Research is chosen for review based on quality of the evidence and its practical value in return to work.
Requests to undertake reviews of research on particular subjects are welcome.
Click the ‘Topics’ button below to drill down into all articles and research updates on your topic of interest.
A mixed bag of workplace interventions have been trialled over the last 20 years. What works?
A step-by-step guide for best practice diagnosis of back pain
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), graded exercise therapy (GET) and good planning get chronic...
A person's beliefs about back problems influence how they engage with treatment, so providing...
Pessimistic beliefs about back pain can prolong suffering and prevent proper treatment
People with chronic low back pain can lose their sense of control over life, a major...
A range of studies explore whether psychosocial factors contribute to the development of back pain
What does the research tell us about physical work and the impact on back pain?
Less invasive treatments should be first port of call for low back pain.
Researchers have developed a questionnaire to help identify when perceptions of injustice may be...
What makes a good case manager?
Are neurocognitive impairments being identified early enough, or at all, after critical illness?
Research shows that older workers CAN work overtime and remain productive
How do we diagnose and treat chronic pain?
Collaboration between mental health and employment agencies assists return to work, but how do...
Canadian researchers conclude that employees have the goods to make participatory ergonomics a...
New research suggests that stress claims aren't as big a mystery as employers tend to think...
Disability prevention researchers benefit from collaboration and communication in an innovative...
In this battle of the lower back pain heavyweights, who comes out on top and why?
Chronic pain is a notoriously obstinate barrier to RTW. Is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy the...
Changes to NSW workers' comp legislation had some interesting outcomes
A comparison of the effectiveness of multidisciplinary rehabilitation and standard care in the...
Do fit people recover from whiplash more quickly?
With harmonisation hopefully imminent, it's a good time to look at and learn from Australia's...
An overview of the complex factors influencing the return to work of sick and injured workers,...
A study looking at factors influencing the return to work and recovery of injured workers in...
Identifying the needs of families caring for someone with a traumatic brain injury.
Workplace flexibility is associated with better employee health
Are they good policy? Do they work? How can they be improved?
Recognising the risk factors for long term disability can help employers reduce the compensation...
A short survey can predict a worker's RTW outcomes
Contrary to expectations, sedentary workers are more likely than heavy workers to lead inactive...
Alcohol consumption and work absenteeism: Educating workers and preventing absence
If a sense of workplace control is linked to good health, how can it be fostered?
Clinical principles for the use of antidepressants, and the effectiveness of other treatments in...
What can employers do to tackle the problem of job dissatisfaction?
A short guide to depression busting in the workplace
This article explores some of the ways to manage and prevent major depression in the workplace.
We all know depression is a problem, but do we recognise depression when we see it?
There is a good business case for educating your workforce about depression