Integrated Mental Health Care and Vocational Rehabilitation to Individuals on Sick Leave Due to Stress Disorders

Background:

Stress disorders have negative effects on workability and have negative effects on both the individual and society. Psychological stress and burnout is not recognized as psychiatric diagnoses, and thus, the estimated prevalence in healthy and sick-listed people is somewhat insecure in Denmark. Together with other common mental disorders, burnout, adjustment disorder and psychological stress are causes of up 40 % of the sick leave claims in Denmark. There is no clear evidence that mental health care alone will provide sufficient support for vocational recovery for this target group. Integrated vocational and health care services have shown good effects on return to work in other Scandinavian countries.

Objective:

The purpose of the Danish IBBIS study is to investigate the efficacy of 1) a stepped mental health care intervention and 2) an integrated mental health care and vocational rehabilitation intervention for people on sick leave because of burnout, adjustment disorder and psychological stress in Denmark.

Method:

This three-arm, randomized, controlled trial is set up to investigate the effectiveness of the stepped mental health care model and the integrated mental health care and vocational rehabilitation intervention for people on sick leave because of burnout, adjustment disorder and psychological stress in Denmark. 603 patients are recruited from Danish job centers in four municipalities. The primary outcome is return to work at 12 months.

Results/discussion:

This study will contribute with new knowledge on vocational recovery and integrated vocational and health care interventions in a Scandinavian context.

Inclusion criteria

• Burnout OR adjustment disorder OR psychological stress according to 4DSQ
• On sick leave from work or unemployment and have received sick leave benefit for minimum four weeks OR have started a sick leave benefit case which is estimated to last for minimum eight weeks
• Citizen in one of the following municipalities: Copenhagen City, Gladsaxe Municipality, Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality or Gentofte Municipality
• Danish-speaking
• Given informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant
• High degree of suicidal ideation
• Dementia
• Alcohol or substance misuse that hinders the person participating in treatment
• Wish to start or continue psychological therapy
• Need for psychiatric treatment in the secondary psychiatric care system
• Medically unstable to a degree that the patient cannot adhere to treatment
• Participant in the research project Collabri
• Attending stress courses in the stress clinics of Copenhagen City
• Assessed by Jobcentre case managers to be dangerous