Client perceptions of a work rehabilitation programme for women: The Redesigning Daily Occupations (ReDO) project

Abstract

The Redesigning Daily Occupations programme (ReDO) is a Swedish work rehabilitation programme for women on sick leave due to stress-related disorders. Objectives of study: The aim of the study was to investigate the participants" perceptions of taking part in the work rehabilitation programme. Methods: Seven of the 38 women who completed ReDO were interviewed during and after the programme. The interviews were analysed by manifest and latent content analysis. Results: The informants were satisfied with the content of the programme and the support they received in the programme and when returning to work. The women thought they had become more aware of what they did during a day and how they performed their daily activities, which helped them to change their ways of performing them.The result highlighted different parts of their rehabilitation process which constituted four sub-themes: "Perceptions of the ReDO", "The intrinsic process", "Person-related changes", and "Perceptions of returning to work", and formed the core theme "Critical parts of the rehabilitation process". Limitations of the study and recommendations for further research:The findings may not be generalized to other settings and future research should further investigate work rehabilitation for the target group.

Work and everyday activities: Experiences from two interventions addressing people with common mental disorders

“…In line with findings from studies in rehabilitation contexts, the experiences of using tools like breathing and relaxation exercises, together with being aware and fully present, have been identified as constructive strategies for starting a change process and managing work and frustrating situations in everyday life (37,41). Similarly, putting words to thoughts and gaining the ability to view oneself from the outside have been reported as promoting factors in starting a change process in several rehabilitation intervention methods (15,22,(37)(38)(39)42).…”

“…Consequently, pharmacotherapy alone may be an uncertain method of improving work ability. In contrast, interventions like PBM, CBT, and other coping-developing interventions (37)(38)(39) are more in accordance with all components of the ICF, which changes the focus of the problem from a medical to a context-bound perspective. The goal of the interventions in the Rehabilitation Guarantee was to improve work ability.…”

Doing or Undoing Gender? An Explorative Study of Gender, Activities, and Well-being among People with Mental Illness Attending Day Centers in Sweden

“…Women who were also parents participated less often in fine arts and creative activities. Although we do not know the reasons for this, previous research has shown that women tend to de-prioritize activities they would do only for their own sake (Erlandsson, Rögnvaldsson, and Eklund 2004;Wastberg, Erlandsson, and Eklund 2013). It could be that mothers visiting day centers chose to involve in activities that they found more useful as preparation for supporting themselves and their children, suggesting that activities are not only gendered based on norms around femininity and masculinity but also in relation to norms surrounding motherhood and fatherhood.…”

Women’s perceived work environment after stress-related rehabilitation: experiences from the ReDO project

“…In fact, a related study showed that both anxiety and depression decreased over time, in the ReDO group as well as in the CAU group (57). Clients in rehabilitation have also been shown to experience a change process that includes gaining control over everyday occupations, an altered self-image [31,32], increased self-esteem and control of one's life satiation [58]. The latter study indicted the necessity of a change process for successful return to work.…”

“…The result of the change process in terms of person-related changes might in turn influence the perception of the work environment. Several studies [31,32,[58][59][60] point out the complexity of rehabilitation, emphasizing that several factors influence the outcome. The present study did not aim at identifying causal mechanisms, but merely identified a relationship between improved perception of the work environment and increased return to work, well-being and occupational value.…”