Predictors of return to work and psychological well‐being among women during/after long‐term sick leave due to common mental disorders ‐ a prospective cohort study based on the theory of planned behaviour

Abstract

Common mental disorders are associated with long-term sick leave, especially among women. There is a lack of theory-based research regarding the impact of personal factors on return to work and psychological well-being. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether return-to-work beliefs and perceived health were predictors of return to work and psychological well-being among women during or after long-term sick leave for common mental disorders, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. This was a prospective cohort study with a 1-year follow-up. At baseline, women (n = 282) had been on full-or part-time sick leave for common mental disorders for 2-24 months. Data were collected in October 2019-January 2020 and October 2020-January 2021 in Sweden. The Social Insurance Agency identified the women at baseline. The Return-To-Work Beliefs Questionnaire, EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale and General Health Questionnaire-12 were used. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted. The women were divided into two groups: full-time sick leave or part-time sick leave at baseline. The results showed that stronger returnto-work intention significantly predicted return to work among women on full-time sick leave at baseline. No significant predictors of return to work were found among women on part-time sick leave at baseline. Psychological well-being was predicted by stronger social pressure to return to work (full-time group) and a more positive attitude toward returning to work and better perceived health (part-time group). We concluded that the Theory of Planned Behaviour can be useful for understanding return to work among women on full-time sick leave, and what underlies psychological well-being in both groups. However, return to work and psychological well-being were predicted by different factors, indicating that a multifactorial approach should be used in supporting women to return to work after long-term sick leave for common mental disorders.

The impact of employment on mental healthcare use among people with disability: distinguishing between part- and full-time employment

“…For example, relatively small sample sizes within population level datasets restrict subgroup analyses (22). Understanding the magnitude and direction of the impact of employment on outcomes is further complicated by challenges associated with reverse causality (for example, mental health affecting work and vice versa) as well as unobservable individual factors that could be correlated with both employment and mental health (for example, level of impairment, familial factors) (24)(25)(26). Consequently, the effects of employment are likely to be biased when not accounting for unobserved confounding (25).…”