Are psychosocial work factors and work-home interference associated with time to first full return-to-work after sick leave due to common mental disorders?

ObjectiveTo (1) examine the time to first full return-to-work (RTW), and (2) investigate whether psychosocial work factors and work-home interference are associated with time to first full RTW after sick leave due to common mental disorders (CMDs).MethodsThe cohort study comprised 162 employees on sick leave due to CMDs participating in a two-armed cluster-randomised controlled trial in Sweden. Baseline data consisted of a web-based questionnaire and follow-up data of repeated text messages every fourth week for 12 months. The time to first full RTW was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier Estimator. Parametric Weibull survival models with interval-censored outcomes were used to determine associations between psychosocial work factors and work-home interference with time to first full RTW. In a post hoc analysis, time-interval differences in associations for 0- <= 6- versus > 6-12 months were tested.ResultsDuring the 12-month follow-up, n = 131 (80.9%) reported a first full RTW. The median time to this RTW was 16 weeks (95% CI 12; 20). High psychological job demands, high emotional job demands, high work-to-home interference (WHI), and low social job support were independently associated with a longer time to first full RTW. Time-interval differences were found for job control and emotional job demands.ConclusionsPsychosocial work demands and WHI are associated with a longer time to RTW after sick leave due to CMDs. Work organisations and rehabilitation practices should include accommodations for high psychological and emotional job demands during RTW, as well as pay attention to the risk of spill-over of high job demands into employees' private lives.

Automated summary

This study aimed to examine the time to first full return-to-work (RTW) and investigate the associations between psychosocial work factors, work-home interference, and time to first full RTW after sick leave due to common mental disorders (CMDs). The results showed that high psychological and emotional job demands, high work-home interference, and low social job support were independently associated with a longer time to first full RTW. This study highlights the importance of considering high job demands and work-home interference in the RTW process after sick leave and paying attention to the potential negative impact of high job demands on employees' personal lives.