Experiences of employees with arm, neck or shoulder complaints: a focus group study

Abstract

BackgroundMany people suffer from complaints of the arm, neck or shoulder (CANS). CANS causes significant work problems, including absenteeism (sickness absence), presenteeism (decreased work productivity) and, ultimately, job loss. There is a need for intervention programs for people suffering from CANS. Management of symptoms and workload, and improving the workstyle, could be important factors in the strategy to deal with CANS. The objective of this study is to evaluate the experienced problems of employees with CANS, as a first step in an intervention mapping process aimed at adaptation of an existing self-management program to the characteristics of employees suffering from CANS.MethodsA qualitative study comprising three focus group meetings with 15 employees suffering from CANS. Based on a question guide, participants were asked about experiences in relation to continuing work despite their complaints. Data were analysed using content analysis with an open-coding system. During selective coding, general themes and patterns were identified and relationships between the codes were examined.ResultsParticipants suffering from CANS often have to deal with pain, disability, fatigue, misunderstanding and stress at work. Some needs of the participants were identified, i.e. disease-specific information, exercises, muscle relaxation, working with pain, influence of the work and/or social environment, and personal factors (including workstyle).ConclusionsEmployees suffering from CANS search for ways to deal with their complaints in daily life and at work. This study reveals several recurring problems and the results endorse the multi-factorial origin of CANS. Participants generally experience problems similar to those of employees with other types of complaints or chronic diseases, e.g. related to their illness, insufficient communication, working together with healthcare professionals, colleagues and management, and workplace adaptations. These topics will be addressed in the adaptation of an existing self-management program to the characteristics of employees suffering from CANS.

Sick leave in workers with arm, neck and/or shoulder complaints; defining occurrence and discriminative trajectories over a 2-year time period

“…At the workplace, our findings and those of the qualitative studies46 47 combined, suggest addressing physical and cognitive strategies tailored to the individual needs, and using a participatory approach to support commitment from the stakeholders and set priorities 52–55…”

“…Two studies may contribute to possible additional factors. One study explored experiences of workers with CANS,46 and reported on the factors: insufficient awareness of possibilities to influence and manage their symptoms, inadequate communication with supervisors and lack of adaptations at the workplace that made it difficult for them to continue working. The other study focused on success factors to continue working in workers with chronic musculoskeletal symptoms 47.…”

“…They reported the factor: support, specified as support in a change of behaviour related to: raising adjustment latitude, changing pain-coping strategies, organising modifications and conditions at work, finding access to healthcare services and asking for support 47. Although we included support of supervisor and coworker, and autonomy in our study, the items regarding these domains of the Job Content Questionnaire,37 do not explicitly address the above mentioned problems and solutions 46 47…”

Effect evaluation of a self-management programme for employees with complaints of the arm, neck or shoulder: a randomised controlled trial

“…Following the process of intervention mapping24 25 and based on a recent Dutch multidisciplinary guideline for non-specific CANS,26 and focus group interviews with employees27 and experts,28 we adapted the original programme to suit the needs of employees with CANS, and to alleviate the problems and needs of employees with CANS. The developed intervention included an eHealth module to provide the opportunity to participants to find additional resources which, together with the personal action plans made in the group sessions, would make it possible to tailor the programme to the needs of the individual participant.…”

Recommendations of the Polish Society of Physiotherapy, Polish Society of Family Medicine and the College of Family Physicians in Poland in the scope of physiotherapy in the painful shoulder syndrome in primary healthcare

“…physicians jointly determined a classification of patients with non-specific shoulder pain into three subgroups: the first subgroup is patients with pain during abduction (located in the subacromial space), the second one -patients with passive movement limitation (pain of the shoulder joint), and the third one -patients with pain during abduction and passive movement limitation (instability, pain of the acromioclavicular joint or neck) [4]. a tendency for chronic shoulder pain lasting over 6 months has been observed in working people [3]. Half of the patients reporting this problem to their general practitioners manage to recover in half a year, and just 60% -in a year [13].…”