Effect on work ability after team evaluation of functioning regarding pain, self-rated disability, and work ability assessment

Jan-Rickard Norrefalk¹, Agneta Littwold-Pöljö², Leif Ryhle³, Gunilla Brodda Jansen^1,3

¹Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Rehabilitation Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; ²Sophiahemmet Rehab Center, Stockholm, Sweden; ³Department of Pain Management, Capio St Göran´s Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract: To evaluate the effect of a 1–2 week multiprofessional team assessment, without a real rehabilitation effort, 60 patients suffering from long-standing pain and on long-lasting time on sick leave were studied. A questionnaire concerning their daily activities, quality of life, pain intensity, sick-leave level, and their work state was filled out by all patients before starting the assessment and at a 1-year follow-up. The results from the assessment period and the multiprofessional team decision of the patient’s working ability were compared with the actual working rate after 1 year. The follow-up showed a significant reduction of sick leave and a higher level of activity (P < 0.001). One year after the initial evaluation, 40% showed a reduction in sickness benefit level and 12% resumed full-time work. However, the team evaluation of the patient’s work ability did not correlate to predict the actual outcome. The patient’s pain intensity, life satisfaction, gender, age, ethnic background, and time absent from work before the start of the evaluation showed no correlation to reduction on time on sickness benefit level. These parameters could not be used as predictors in this study.

Keywords: health, multiprofessional team evaluation, long-standing pain