Journal
ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GASTROENTEROLOGIE
Volume 54, Issue 2, Pages 139-145Publisher
GEORG THIEME VERLAG KG
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-105698
Keywords
chronic inflammatory bowel disease; randomised controlled study; work ability; self management intervention; health-care research
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Background: Chronic and prognostically doubtful diseases like inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) often lead to reduced work ability. Whether self-management-interventions have positive effects on work related outcomes is so far unclear. Methods: Data from a randomized controlled trial of adult members of a German statutory health insurance with medically confirmed IBD were reanalyzed. We focused on 337 gainfully employed study participants. They completed a screening questionnaire enquiring about 22 disease-related bio-psycho-social problems. The intervention group (IG) received individualized (problem-adapted) written recommendations; the control group remained under usual care. 12 months later a follow-up questionnaire was employed, data on sick leave were made available by the health insurance. Results: The IG showed beneficial effects in all primary outcomes (EuroQol visual analog scale score, index for measuring participation restriction and number of self-reported disability days). At baseline one in four of the employed participants reported a negative subjective prognosis of their work capacity (assessed by means of a 3-item Likert scale, SPE scale). No positive intervention effects on work-related outcomes (subjective prognosis of gainful employment, episodes and days of sick leave) could be detected. Conclusions: In IBD patients work and earning capacity is often at risk and should be regularly assessed. Effective interventions to protect or restore gainful employment are needed. Medical-vocational rehabilitation could be a treatment option; its efficacy and benefit (in IBD) are still to be demonstrated.
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