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Collaboration in the return-to-work process after sick leave due to common mental disorders: a qualitative study of stakeholders' views on goals and roles.
- Source :
-
BMC public health [BMC Public Health] 2024 Jun 11; Vol. 24 (1), pp. 1567. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jun 11. - Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Background: This study explores how the goals of collaboration in the return-to-work (RTW) process for people with common mental disorders are described by the stakeholders involved, and how they experience stakeholders' roles and responsibilities in relation to these goals.<br />Methods: Interviews were conducted with 41 participants from three Swedish regions. Nine of the participants were workers, six employer representatives, four occupational health professionals, four social insurance officers, 18 RTW coordinators and five physicians. Thematic analysis was conducted.<br />Results: Three main themes and overarching goals when collaborating on RTW were identified. In the first theme, 'creating an informative environment', all stakeholders emphasised clear roles and responsibilities. The second theme, 'striving for consensus in an environment of negotiations', addressed negotiations about when and how to collaborate, on what and with whom, and reveal different views on stakeholders' goals, roles and responsibilities in collaboration. The third theme identified goals for 'creating a supportive environment' for both workers and other stakeholders. Coordinators are found to have an important role in achieving a supportive environment, and in neutralising power imbalances between workers and their employers and social insurance officers.<br />Conclusions: Competing goals and priorities were identified as hindering successful collaboration, contributing to a spectrum of complex versus easy RTW collaboration. This study suggests some basic conditions for achieving a collaborative arena that is neutral in terms of power balance, where all stakeholders can share their views.<br /> (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Subjects :
- Humans
Sweden
Female
Male
Adult
Middle Aged
Stakeholder Participation psychology
Cooperative Behavior
Interviews as Topic
Professional Role psychology
Return to Work psychology
Sick Leave statistics & numerical data
Qualitative Research
Mental Disorders psychology
Mental Disorders rehabilitation
Mental Disorders therapy
Goals
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1471-2458
- Volume :
- 24
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- BMC public health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 38862931
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19063-y