Could persons on sick leave learn to think differently about themselves and increase their participation in the workplace?

• Published in: Tidsskrift for den Norske Lægeforening Vol. 124; no. 22; pp. 2885 - 2887
• Main Authors: Haugstvedt, Karen Therese Sulheim, Graff-Iversen, Sidsel, Haugli, Liv
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Norwegian
• Published: Norway 18-11-2004
• Subjects: Counseling - methods; Employment - psychology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Occupational Health; Quality of Life; Self Concept; Sick Leave; Surveys and Questionnaires; Unemployment - psychology; Workplace - psychology
• ISSN: 0807-7096

The aim of this study was to evaluate an empowerment programme for improved quality of life and ability to work. At two places of work, a total of 112 employees with frequent sick-leaves over the last six months were invited to participate; 19 women attended. After the intervention the participants reported better coping and quality of life, and they worked more hours per week than previously. In their opinion, the improvement was due to the intervention. This paper relates their experiences and gives an account of their work participation one year later.
Questionnaires by the start of and soon after the intervention, telephone interviews and focus group interviews.
Only minor differences were found after one year compared to just after the intervention. Nearly all the participants expressed more self-esteem and worked more hours per week. They particularly emphasised their new work consciousness and the benefit from the counselling received.
The results in this small group indicate that after one year the participants had kept most of the self-reconstruction of life that seemed to be achieved during the intervention.