PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Jan-Rickard Norrefalk

Publications and source records attributed to Jan-Rickard Norrefalk.

3 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Ethnic background does not influence outcome for return-to-work in work-related interdisciplinary rehabilitation for long-term pain: 1- and 3-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: It is often suggested that immigrants with long-term pain do not benefit from rehabilitation to the same extent as native Swedish patients. In this study, an 8-week rehabilitation programme was evaluated according to its adaptation for immigrants. OBJECTIVES: To establish whether there is a difference between immigrants and native Swedes concerning: (i) return-to-work, the patients' own estimation and their actual ability; (ii) higher level of activity; (iii) reduction in pain and analgesic use. PATIENTS: A total of 67 patients with persistent non-malignant pain completed the rehabilitation programme. Thirty (45%) of the patients were immigrants. METHODS: A 1- and a 3-year follow-up were made to compare the outcome between the 2 groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the return-to-work rate between immigrants and native Swedes. However, the patients' prediction of their ability to return to work was higher among the non-immigrants. The level of activity was lower and pain intensity and use of analgesics were higher among the immigrants than the non-immigrants. CONCLUSION: Immigrants can benefit from a rehabilitation programme to the same extent as native Swedes concerning return-to-work rate, but seem to have limitations in assimilating the other objectives of the programme.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Can the back-to-work rate of patients with long-term non-malignant pain be predicted?

The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of a structured multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme regarding the return-to-work rate. Sixty-seven patients were enrolled in an 8-week, structured rehabilitation programme. The prediction of the return-to-work rate was evaluated before entering the programme. The patients' own perception of returning to work as well as their pain intensity were estimated on a visual analogue scale and their period of sick leave was also recorded. The multidisciplinary rehabilitation team made an impairment and disability evaluation and analysis (IDEA) to assess possible work ability. This evaluation was made during the first 3 weeks of the 8-week programme. The return-to-work rate was also evaluated by means of the modified somatic perception questionnaire (MSPQ) and the disability rating index (DRI) before entering the programme. The results were compared with the actual return-to-work rate 1 year after completing the programme. A comparison group of 14 patients who were rejected due to lack of space in the programme was used in this study. There was a positive, statistically significant correlation (P<0.01) between the evaluation of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team and the actual outcome of the return-to-work rate 1 year after completing the programme. At the 1-year follow-up, 63% of the patients had returned to work or were in work-related activities. The results on MSPQ or DRI, the patients' own perception of returning to work, the pain intensity, age or the period of time out of work did not predict the return-to-work ability. This study has shown that 63% of the patients with long-term non-malignant pain were back to work or in work-related activities 1 year after completing the rehabilitation programme. The IDEA made by the rehabilitation team was crucial in predicting the return-to-work rate in this patient group. The MSPQ and DRI questionnaires, the patients' own prediction, pain intensity, age and time out of work had a low value for predicting the return-to-work rate following a structured multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme.

Adult↗