Application of the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Behaviour Change Wheel to Understand Physicians' Behaviors and Behavior Change in Using Temporary Work Modifications for Return to Work: A Qualitative Study.
Ritva Horppu, K P Martimo, E MacEachen and 2 others
PMID 28391503WHAT IT FOUND
Occupational physicians described three actions for temporary work modifications: raising the option with employees, negotiating with supervisors, and following up.
Time, supervisor resistance, and role beliefs were barriers; workplace agreements and reflection were enablers.
Key findings
01Occupational physicians described three key behaviors for temporary work modifications: initiating the option with the employee, recommending it to the workplace, and following up.
02Barriers and facilitators were grouped into capability, opportunity, and motivation, including knowledge, time, supervisor attitudes, and views of the physician role.
03Some physicians said predefined agreements with companies and set follow-up procedures helped them remember to consider and monitor work modifications.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study reports physicians' own accounts, so it may not show what they actually did in consultations. Some perceptions may be beliefs rather than experiences. Participants volunteered and may be more interested in supporting return to work than other physicians. The study included only occupational physicians, not physical therapists, occupational therapists, or speech-language pathologists. The sample was small and Finnish, so it does not show how other countries or workplaces would respond. The interview guide was not designed around the framework used for analysis.
Declared interests
No author conflicts of interest or funding statement appears in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that temporary work modifications improve patient recovery or that physicians' suggested methods work. It describes 15 occupational physicians' views and barriers, not tested interventions or outcomes.