A qualitative evaluation of occupational therapy-led work rehabilitation for people with inflammatory arthritis: Patients' views.

This is a qualitative study of patients' views nested in a pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial, so it does not test whether the work rehabilitation programme improves work retention, symptoms, function, or other outcomes. The intervention included several components given together: three one-to-one meetings with a rheumatology occupational therapist, a 30-minute telephone review, optional further 1.5-hour contact, use of the Work Experience Survey to identify work problems, and a written work information pack. The paper cannot separate the contribution of any single component. Only 32 of the 55 trial participants were interviewed, and the qualitative sample was purposeful, with 16 from each treatment group and 10 face-to-face interviews, so the views may not represent all people with inflammatory arthritis who have work problems. The study was conducted through a small number of trusts in the North of England, so socio-demographic characteristics and health-seeking behaviour may not reflect wider populations. Data collection was mainly by telephone, which may miss non-verbal cues and make interviews shorter and less rich than face-to-face interviews. The paper describes face-to-face interviews both at 6 months post-intervention and at 9 months follow-up, so the timing of that sub-sample is unclear.

Do not conclude that occupational therapy-led work rehabilitation is proven to keep people with inflammatory arthritis in work or improve their symptoms. The paper reports participants' views from 32 qualitative interviews nested in a pilot feasibility trial, not measured effectiveness outcomes.