Abstract
A total of 420 long-term sick-listed employees were included continuously in a controlled study of the effects of “brief intervention” given as a one-day multidisciplinary intervention. The patients were referred from the family doctor for a period of one and a half year to a "Rapid return to work" clinic under Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital. Patients had been sick-listed 6 months. The multidisciplinary team consisted of a medical specialist, psychologist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist and social worker. NAV and employer did not participate in the intervention. Patients were compared to a matched control group with “treatment as usual” and all followed for three years. Endpoint data was from NAV's registry of sick leave. The results on return to the labour force were not as good as expected. A one-day multidisciplinary assessment did not lead to a higher return to labour force than “treatment as usual” in the long term, regardless of diagnoses. An extended treatment for a selected group did not lead to higher return on labour force. This may indicate that the intervention group had more challenges than the control group. It was more in the intervention group than in the control group who went over to part-time work, and in particular to temporary benefits or disability pensions. A proportion of patients who slipped away from the NAV system were identified and linked to rehabilitation activities. The comprehensive short-term intervention was perceived as useful and beneficial to the patients.