Issue:

A systematic review of workplace-based return to work interventions was carried out by the Institute of Work & health and published in 2004. The review included studies published between January 1990 and December 2003. Since the review was completed there has been a growing research literature in the area of return to work (RTW). This project will update the initial review to reflect the current research evidence base. It will also extend the review through the inclusion of research relating to system/ jurisdictional interventions. Furthermore, it will determine whether the Seven Principles of Successful RTW, a globally recognized action tool, need to be changed or modified based on the current evidence. This review will facilitate the integration of “high quality” best practice research evidence into the development of return to work policies and programs and in so doing will improve the effectiveness of programs to reduce work disability and return injured workers to employment.

Objectives:

Anticipated Results:

We anticipate that a broad range of interests in our stakeholder communities will be interested in the update to this literature and the Seven Principles document. The Seven principles remains one of the top downloaded items from our website.

Investigators:

Ben Amick, Emma Irvin, Nancy Carnide, Sheila Hogg-Johnson, Vicki Kristman, Marie Laberge, Ron Saunders, Ivan Steenstra, Dwayne Van Eerd(Institute for Work & Health), Fiona Clay, Alex Collie (Monash University)