Prediction models of the duration and recurrence of sickness absence due to common mental disorders

Mental disorders are an important cause for sick leave in the Dutch workforce.
Sick leave due to mental disorders is mainly caused by common mental disorders.
Mostly disorders with aspecific stressrelated complaints or disorders with
mild or moderate psychiatric complaints such as depressive and anxiety
complaints

The incidence of sickleave due to mental disorders is 2% with an avarage
duration of 87 days (Koopmans 2007). employees with a first absence due to
CMDs 19% had a recurrence, 90% of recurrences occurred within 3 years with an
median between the 8 and 14 months.

In the literature little is known about the factors associated with the
duration of the sickleave and the recurrence of sick leace. Early
identification of employees with a high risk on prolonged sick leave or
recurrences, is important to target interventions and treatment to prevent
prolonged sick leave and recurrences. All the more because Koopmans showed that
40-50% of the employees with frequent and with long-term absence lost their
jobs because of dismissal or disabilitypensioning

The study consits of *three parts

1. Predictionmodel of the duration of sick leave due to CMD's
2. Predictionmodel for recurrences due to CMD's
3. Qualitative research of experiences from workers with CMD's
and working
ad 1 How is the performence of the prediction model developed by Nieuwenhuijsen
(2006) in predicting the duration of sickness absence in the heterogeneous
population of employees working for companies contracted by 365 Is the
performance of the prediction model to improve by adding other predictors

ad 2

Investigate which factors are associated with recurrences due to CMD's. The
aim is to develop a diagnostic tool for occupational physicians to recognize
employees at risk of recurrent sick leave due to common mental disorders so
that interventions can be targeted at employees at risk. .

ad 3. Obtain insight how employees experience having CMD's and working

Prospective study with a maximum follow-up of 3 years from the time of calling
in sick. If in the first consultation with the occupational physician the
diagnoses of sickness absence due to psychological complaints is made:
1. The company docter asks the employee if he/she wants to join the study
and explains.
2. With permission, the details of the employee are sent bij e-mail to the
investigator.
3. The investigator contacts the employee by mail and further explains the
study, verifies consent and sends the questionnaire to the employee
4. the company doctor provides "care as usual"
5. Sickness absence data of participating employees will be followed for a
maximum of three years.
6. Upon recovery, the employee will recieve the questionnaire for the second
part of the study.

* With focus groups there is a change of the research design starting at point
5:
5. Participating employees will be informed and invited to the focus groups
where the voluntariness of participation is emphasized again and also the
guarantee of anonymity in the processing and reporting of the focus group data.
6. the individual workers participate in a focus group for up to 2 hours. The
following core questions are compiled:
- What is in your opinion characteristic to performing well in your work.
- What is decisive to performing well in your work
- How is the interaction of performing well in your work by mental health
complaints
- What does it mean for you that performing well on your work is influenced by
mental health complaints?
- Everything that is discussed, what was the most important factor for
performing well in your work.

The study consists of completing two questionnaires. The time spent for each
questionnaire is estimated to be 20-30 minutes. The time spent for the overall
study is therefore 40-60 minutes.


* The time spent for the focusgroupresearch is the time of travelling to the
location of the focusgroup and the participation in the focusgroup up to an
maximum of 2 hours