Work Ability during the Return to Work Process: Results from a Mixed Methods Follow-Up Study Among Employees with Common Mental Disorders.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

A main goal during the return to work (RTW) process after a long-term sickness absence due to common mental disorders (CMDs), is to restore and maintain employees' work ability to enable their sustained work participation. This study jointly examined employees' work ability ratings and experiences during their RTW process with CMDs.

Methods

In a mixed methods follow-up study of N = 286 participants, work ability was quantitatively assessed with the Work Ability Score (WAS, range 0-10) at baseline (week before clinical discharge) and after 6, 12, 18, and 30 months. In a sub-sample, the qualitative work ability experiences of N = 32 participants were analysed at 6 and 12 months, and were jointly evaluated with the quantitative data.

Results

The mean WAS increase

SUBMITTER: Sikora A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12906556 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature