Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39152487›Full record

ArticleTrials2024

The SME tool supporting employers of small- and medium-sized enterprises during the return to work of employees on long-term sick leave: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and for a process evaluation.

Donna C E Beerda, Michiel A Greidanus, Angelique E de Rijk, Astrid de Wind, Sietske J Tamminga, Frederieke G Schaafsma

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06330415 (Web-based Intervention Supporting Employers of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises During the Return to Work of Employees on Long-term Sick-leave), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06330415 naunknown statusnot on this map

Web-based Intervention Supporting Employers of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises During the Return to Work of Employees on Long-term Sick-leave: Design of a Randomised Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorAcademisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)Ran2024 to 2025Enrolled404ConditionsSick-listed EmployeesArmsThe SME tool
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Donna C E BeerdaDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. d.c.e.beerda@amsterdamumc.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0428-1797
Michiel A GreidanusDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Angelique E de RijkDepartment of Social Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Research Institute Primary Care and Public Health (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Duboisdomein 30, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Astrid de WindDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Sietske J TammingaDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Frederieke G SchaafsmaDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundReturning to work after long-term sick leave can be challenging, particularly in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) where support may be limited. Recognizing the responsibilities and challenges of SME employers, a web-based intervention (hereafter the SME tool) has been developed. The SME tool aims to enhance the employer's intention and ability to support the sick-listed employee. Based on the Self-Determination Theory, it is hypothesized that this intention is enhanced by intervening in the employer's autonomy, competences, and relatedness targeted at, e.g., communication with sick-listed employee, involvement of other stakeholders, and practical support. This is achieved by means of providing templates, communication videos, and information on legislation. This article describes the design of an effect and process evaluation of the SME tool.

methodsA randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a 6-month follow-up will be conducted with a parallel-group design with two arms: an intervention group and a control group. Sick-listed employees (≤ 8 weeks) of SMEs (≤ 250 employees) at risk of long-term sick leave and their employers will be recruited and randomly allocated as a dyad (1:1). Employers randomized to the intervention group receive unlimited access to the SME tool, while those in the control group will receive care as usual. The primary outcome is the satisfaction of the employee with the return to work (RTW) support provided by their employer. Secondary outcomes include social support, work performance, and quality of work life at the employee level and self-efficacy in providing RTW support at the employer level. Outcomes will be assessed using questionnaires at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months of follow-up. Process evaluation measures include, e.g., recruitment and use of and perceived usefulness of the SME tool. Additionally, semi-structured interviews with employers, employees, and occupational physicians will explore the interpretation of the RCT results and strategies for the national implementation of the SME tool. DISCUSSION: The SME tool is hypothesized to be valuable in addition to usual care helping employers to effectively support the RTW of their long-term sick-listed employees, by improving the employers' intention and ability to support.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06330415. Registered on February 14, 2024.

Indexed as

Randomized Controlled Trials as TopicReturn to WorkSick LeaveAbsenteeismHumansIntentionInternet-Based InterventionOccupational HealthOccupational Health ServicesPersonal AutonomyProcess Assessment, Health CareSocial SupportTime FactorsWorkplaceEmployer supportRandomized controlled trialReturn to workSmall- and medium-sized enterprisesWeb-based intervention

Identifiers

PMID39152487
PMCPMC11328497

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.