THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL REHABILITATION PROGRAMME FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC SPINAL PAIN: OUTCOMES WITH WORK STATUS AS THE PRIMARY FOCUS

Objective To assess the efficacy of the multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation programme for chronic spinal patients as to work status, physical functioning, pain intensity, health-related quality of life and the psychosocial domain. Design This is a retrospective, single-centre, observational cohort study. Subjects/Patients A total of 209 subjects (mean age 41.5 ± 11.4 years) with chronic spinal pain participated in the rehabilitation programme. Methods Evaluations were conducted through standardized questionnaires at baseline and at the end of the rehabilitation programme. Results Patients were more likely to be at work. Sick leave and work VAS changed significantly. Patients in blue-collar jobs are less likely to return to work. Pain intensity, physical functioning, health-related quality of life and lumbar and cervical range of motion improved significantly. Conclusion The multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation programme for chronic spinal patients improved the rate of return to work. In daily clinical practice, attention must be given to reducing mobility issues in daily life in order to get patients back to work. The occupational therapist should give patients with blue-collar jobs sufficient attention early in the programme in order to achieve a higher rate of return to work. Lay Abstract Chronic spinal pain causes more overall disability than any other condition (1). Absenteeism due to illness has become an issue of increasing importance in Belgian and European socio-economic actuality (2). However, to our knowledge, different biopsychosocial outcome measures with special attention to work-related outcomes have never been investigated in Belgium. The objective of the study is to assess the efficacy of the multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation programme for chronic spinal patients on different outcome domains such as work status, physical functioning, pain intensity, health-related quality of life and the psychosocial domain. The evaluations were conducted through standardized questionnaires at baseline and at the end of the programme. The pain scores and functional outcomes improved. Improvements were noted in mobility. Patients were more likely to be at work. The multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation programme for chronic spinal patients improved the rate of return to work, pain intensity, physical functioning and health-related quality of life.