The Work-It Study for people with arthritis: Study protocol and baseline sample characteristics

Abstract

Abstract. BACKGROUND:People with arthritis are at risk of work disability. Job accommodation and educational programs delivered before imminent work loss can minimize work disability, yet are not currently being widely implemented. The Work-It Study is a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a problem solving program delivered by physical and occupational therapy practitioners to prevent work loss over a two-year period among people with arthritis and rheumatological conditions. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to describe the protocol of the randomized controlled trial, and describe the baseline characteristics of the subjects and their work outcomes. METHODS: 287 participants were recruited from the Boston area in Massachusetts, USA. Eligible participants were aged between 21-65, self-reported a physicians' diagnosis of arthritis, rheumatic condition, or chronic back pain, reported a concern about working now or in the near future due to your health, worked at least 15 hours a week, had plans to continue working, and worked or lived in Massachusetts. Subjects were recruited through community sources and rheumatology offices. Participants in the experimental group received a structured interview and an education and resource packet, while participants in the control received the resource packet only. The baseline characteristics and work related outcomes of the participants were analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, the Work-It Study is the largest and most diverse randomized controlled trial to date aiming to identify and problem solve work-related barriers, promote advocacy, and foster work disability knowledge among people with chronic disabling musculoskeletal conditions. Despite advances in medical management of arthritis and other rheumatological and musculoskeletal conditions, many people still have concerns about their ability to remain employed and are seeking strategies to help them sustain employment.

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“…Four published and two ongoing studies were identified. [29][30][31][32][33][34] Of the four completed studies, all were conducted in 2005 or earlier. While the completed studies included individuals with SLE, SLE was not necessarily the primary focus; of the 979 participants across the four studies, only 9% had SLE, as each study primarily involved patients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.…”

Recruitment cost and outcomes for an arthritis work disability prevention randomized clinical trial: The Work It study

“…The “Work It” Study is a randomized controlled trial of people with self-reported arthritis or related rheumatic conditions at risk of work loss. The detailed methods of the trial protocol and findings are published elsewhere [ 18 , 19 ]. This clinical trial was approved by the Institutional Review Board for Boston University, and all participants provided written informed consent.…”

Construct Validity and Scoring Methods of the World Health Organization

“…The “Work it” study is a clinical trial designed to test the efficacy of a work barrier identification and problem-solving educational program on reducing work limitations (16). Participants were people who self-reported arthritis and a concern about their ability to continue working for the next few years due to their health conditions.…”