2015, Article / Letter to editor (Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, vol. 2015, iss. 8, (2015), pp. 307-320)To develop a self-management program with an additional eHealth module, using the six steps of the intervention mapping (IM) protocol, to help employees with complaints of the arm, neck, and/or shoulder (CANS) cope with their problems. In Step 1 of the IM protocol, a needs assessment was performed consisting of a review of the Dutch multidisciplinary guidelines on CANS, and of focus group sessions with employees with CANS (n=15) and with relevant experts (n=17). After the needs assessment, the objectives of the intervention and the determinants of self-management at work were formulated (Step 2). Furthermore, theory-based intervention methods and practical strategies were selected (Step 3), and an intervention program (including the eHealth module) was developed (Step 4). Finally, plans for implementation and evaluation of the program were developed (Steps 5 and 6). Step 1 of the IM protocol revealed that employees with CANS should be stimulated to search for information about the cause of their complaints, about how to deal with their complaints, and in which manner they can influence their complaints themselves. In Step 2, the overall goal of the intervention was defined as "self-management behavior at work" with the aim to alleviate the perceived disability of the participants. Step 3 described how the intervention methods were translated into practical strategies, and goal setting was introduced as an important method for increasing self-efficacy. The product of Step 4 was the final program plan, consisting of 6-weekly group sessions of 2.5 hours each and an eHealth module. In Step 5, a recruitment plan and course materials were developed, a steering committee was set up, trainers were recruited, and the final program was tested. In Step 6, an evaluation plan was developed, which consists of a randomized controlled trial with a 12-month follow-up period and a qualitative evaluation (interviews) with some of the participants.
2014, Article / Letter to editor (Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, vol. 24, iss. 1, (2014), pp. 52-67)Introduction A qualitative study was carried out to understand how people with a slow progressive adult type neuromuscular disease (NMD) perceive employment participation. Methods 16 paid employed persons with NMD were interviewed in open, in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using the constant comparison method. Results Four themes were identified in the analyses: (1) Experiences regarding the meaning of work; (2) Solving problems oneself; (3) Reaching a turning point; and (4) Taking into account environmental aspects. Persons with NMD highlighted benefits of staying at work as well as the tension they felt how to shape decisions to handle progressive physical hindrances in job retention. This study shows how participants at work with NMD were challenged to keep up appearances at work and at home, the tension felt around when and if to disclose, the effect of their condition on colleagues and work reorganization challenges. Participants experienced that disclosure did not always make things better. With increasing disability participants’ focus shifted from the importance of assistive products towards considerate colleague, in particular superior’s willingness in supporting job retention.
2013, Article / Letter to editor (Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, vol. 2013, iss. 23, (2013), pp. 189-199)Purpose: The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of a Self-Management Program for workers with a chronic disease. This program is based on the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program of Stanford University, modified for workers with a chronic somatic disease. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, the effectiveness of a Self-Management Program was evaluated. Participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 57) and the control group (n = 47). The experimental group received an intervention, the control group received care as usual. Primary outcome measures were self-efficacy at work and the attitude towards self-management at work. Secondary outcomes were the SF-12 health survey questionnaire, job satisfaction and intention to change job. The results were measured at baseline, after the intervention and 8 months after the intervention. Results: The attitude towards self-management at work (enjoyment) improved after 8 months for the intervention group (p = 0.030). No other outcome variable differed significantly. As an interaction effect, it was found that low educated workers developed a better physical health quality (SF-12) in the intervention group compared with the control group. The attitude towards self-management at work (importance) improved in the intervention group for older and female workers and the attitude toward enjoying self-management at work improved for female workers only. Conclusion: The results show that low educated workers, older workers and women benefit significantly more from the training than higher educated workers, younger workers and men.
2012, Article / Letter to editor (Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, vol. 93, iss. 12, (2012), pp. 2276-2280)To explore consultation reports for patient and employment characteristics and recommendations on employment regarding patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs). Eighty percent of the included consultation reports contained information on employment. Less than half the patients with NMD were employed, most in office-related jobs, using some kind of adaptations. Nineteen of 20 patients who agreed to recommendations regarding therapy were adequately referred by occupational therapists and physical therapists for treatment of employment problems.
2012, Part of book or chapter of book ()In dit boek kun je lezen dat er wel degelijk mogelijkheden zijn om langdurige zorg te verbeteren en te vernieuwen. Hoe enthousiasmeer je studenten, docenten en professionals in de zorg zich hiermee bezig te houden? Het lezen en bestuderen van dit boek zet aan tot een verdere verdieping. Dit boek kan gezien worden als het paradepaard op het gebied van inhoudelijke informatie over langdurige zorg. De auteurs zijn allen als professional direct betrokken bij dit thema. Langdurige zorg richt zich in het bijzonder op verpleegkundig specialisten, hbo verpleegkundigen en (andere) paramedici. In de verschillende hoofdstukken gaan de auteurs in op een aantal belangrijke onderwerpen. Aan de orde komen thema’s als epidemiologische en gezondheidseconomische vraagstukken, veroudering als ook items als ‘zelfmanagement’, de organisatie van de zorg, palliatieve zorg.
2011, Part of book or chapter of book (, pp. 91-147)Het bevorderen van duurzame arbeidsparticipatie is een kerntaak voor paramedici en arboprofessionals. In sociaal opzicht is arbeidsparticipatie belangrijk omdat het bijdraagt aan zelfstandigheid en zelfrespect. Maar niet iedereen kan een baan vinden of houden. Bovendien zullen door de stijgende pensioenleeftijd meer werknemers te kampen krijgen met arbeidsbeperkingen. Hoe kunt u als paramedicus of arboprofessional uw clienten ondersteunen in het arbeidsparticipatieproces? Het antwoord op deze vraag vindt u in de tweede editie van Arbeid Gezondheid. De geactualiseerde denkmodellen en onderwerpen in dit handboek dienen als handvatten voor professionals om de arbeidsparticipatie van hun clienten te optimaliseren. Daarbij is kennis vanuit verschillende disciplines noodzakelijk. In de eerste editie lag de nadruk op interventie (preventie, behandeling en reïntegratie). Deze uitgebreide herziening bespreekt de rol van professionals in drie praktische contexten: (meer) aan het werk, aan het werk (blijven) en weer aan het werk. Daarvoor wordt in deel 1 het theoretische kader aangeboden. Deel 2 gaat vervolgens in op de praktische kant en geeft onder andere talloze tips, voorbeelden en nuttige adressen.
2011, Article / Letter to editor (Physiotherapy, vol. 97, iss. S1, (2011), pp. eS468-eS469)In the Netherlands educational programs exist to train physical therapists (PTs) to treat employees with work-related complaints of the movement system. Contrary to occupational physical therapists working in workplaces, these professional work mainly in primary healthcare. WPT2011 Research Report Abstratcs
2011, Article / Letter to editor (Tijdschrift voor Gezondheidswetenschap, vol. 2011, iss. 89, (2011), pp. 114-121)Overgewicht is momenteel het snelst groeiende volksgezondheidsprobleem in Nederland. Uit eerder onderzoek blijkt dat werknemers met overgewicht twee maal zo vaak verzuimen en minder productief zijn dan collegas zonder overgewicht. Om overgewicht bij werknemers aan te pakken, of liever nog te voorkómen, is van belang om te weten hoe leidinggevenden, medewerkers en professionals aankijken tegen het bespreekbaar maken en aanpakken van overgewicht en eventuele andere leefstijlfactoren op de werkplek. Het in dit artikel beschreven onderzoek richt zich op de verantwoordelijkheden en mogelijkheden van werkgever en werknemer rondom de preventie van overgewicht. Methoden: Met leidinggevenden en werknemers van een groot ziekenhuis, diëtisten, bedrijfsartsen en arbeidsdeskundigen werden semigestructureerde interviews gehouden om te inventariseren hoe men denkt over ‘het bespreken van leefstijl op de werkplek’, met name van overgewicht. Resultaten: Om de onderzoeksvraag te beantwoorden is een schema ontworpen met de belangrijkste uitspraken uit de interviews met de genoemde groepen. Er bleek een redelijke consensus over het feit dat de leidinggevende werknemers mag aanspreken op hun leefstijl. Een faciliterende en motiverende aanpak is dan aan te bevelen, dwang wordt afgeraden. Geadviseerd wordt om behalve aan overgewicht en obesitas ook aandacht te besteden aan andere leefstijlaspecten en aan de balans tussen werk en privé. Conclusie: Er is zeker een draagvlak om ‘op de werkvloer’ aandacht te besteden aan een gezonde leefstijl. Leidinggevenden moeten bijvoorbeeld door training geholpen worden om hun rol hierbij vorm te geven. Het bespreekbaar maken van leefstijlthemas wordt als lastig ervaren. Voorlopig is een optie hier een onafhankelijke leefstijlcoach of diëtist voor in te schakelen.
2010, Article / Letter to editor (Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, vol. 42, iss. 1, (2010), pp. 60-65)To determine the number of employed people in a group of patients with neuromuscular diseases and in 3 separate subgroups (facioscapulo-humeral dystrophy, hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, and myotonic dystrophy) to investigate any differences in employment status between the patient groups, and to identify factors related to employment status. A total of 591 patients with neuromuscular diseases participated in the study, 138 with facioscapulo-humeral dystrophy, 135 with hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, and 318 with myotonic dystrophy. Self-report questionnaires, the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Of the patients with neuromuscular diseases in the study, 56.7% were employed. Younger age, being male, and higher education contributed significantly to employment status of the neuromuscular diseases group and the hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy and myotonic dystrophy subgroups. Significant between-group differences for employed vs not employed subjects were present in the total neuromuscular diseases group on all subscales of the CIS and SF-36. Factors related to employment status differed for the 3 neuromuscular diseases subgroups. More than half of the patients with neuromuscular diseases were employed. Patients with facioscapulo-humeral dystrophy and patients with hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy were more often employed than patients with myotonic dystrophy. Between-group analyses for differences in baseline factors revealed 11 significant factors related to employment. Multivariate logistic analyses revealed 6 factors contributing to employment for the group of patients with neuromuscular diseases.
2010, Article / Letter to editor (BMC Public Health, vol. 2010, iss. 10, (2010), pp. 353)Employees with a chronic disease often encounter problems at work because of their chronic disease. The current paper describes the development of a self-management programme based on the Chronic Disease Self-Management programme (CDSMP) of Stanford University to help employees with a chronic somatic disease cope with these problems at work. The objective of this article is to present the systematic development and content of this programme. The method of intervention mapping (Bartholomew 2006) was used to tailor the original CDSMP for employees with a chronic somatic disease. This paper describes the process of adjusting the CDSMP for this target group. A needs assessment has been carried out by a literature review and qualitative focus groups with employees with a chronic disease and involved health professionals. On the basis of the needs assessment, the relevant determinants of self-management behaviour at work have been identified for the target population and the objectives of the training have been formulated. Furthermore, techniques have been chosen to influence self-management and the determinants of behaviour and a programme plan has been developed.
2009, Article / Letter to editor (Fysiotherapie en Ouderenzorg, vol. 23, iss. 3, (2009), pp. 19-30)Ergotherapie wordt in de eerstelijn steeds vaker geïndiceerd. Daarbij is erg belangrijk dat ook de hoeveelheid beschikbare evidence groeit. Dit artikel laat zien dat het dagelijks functioneren van patiënten met dementie verbetert en de draaglast van mantelzorgers neemt af ten gevolge van een gestructureerde aanpak. Bovendien blijkt dat deze verbeteringen behouden blijven na follow-up.