Returning to work after long term sickness absence due to low back pain – the struggle within: a qualitative study of the patient's experience.

Ryan, Cormac G; Lauchlan, Douglas; Rooney, Leigh; Hollins Martin, Caroline J; Gray, Heather

Abstract

Background: low back pain (LBP) is a major cause of work absence. Assisting individuals back into work is an important part of rehabilitation. Objective: to explore the experiences of individuals returning to work after an episode of sickness absence due to LBP. Participants: Five women employed by a UK University who had returned to work. Method: in this qualitative study, participants underwent semi-structured interviews about their experiences. The transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: two primary themes emerged 1) perceived pressure to return to work and 2) strategies employed to relieve the pressure to return. Pressure to return to work arose from a number of sources including guilt and a personal work ethic, internally, and from colleagues and management, externally. This pressure led to the individual employing a number of strategies to reduce it. These ranged from a simple denial of health concerns and decision to return to work regardless of their condition, to placing the responsibility of the decision not to return to work onto a significant other, such as a family member or health care professional. Cconclusions: individuals returning to work with LBP experience considerable pressure to return and use a range of strategies to mediate that pressure.

Citation

Ryan, C. G., Lauchlan, D., Rooney, L., Hollins Martin, C. J., & Gray, H. (2014). Returning to work after long term sickness absence due to low back pain – the struggle within: a qualitative study of the patient's experience. WORK, 49, 433-444. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-131646

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Nov 21, 2014
• Deposit Date: Aug 5, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 5, 2015
• Print ISSN: 1051-9815
• Electronic ISSN: 1875-9270
• Publisher: IOS Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 49
• Pages: 433-444
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-131646
• Keywords: Employee attitudes United Kingdom; job re-entry United Kingdom; low back pain; female
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/8933
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/WOR-131646