Beliefs About Return to Work Among Women During/After Long-Term Sick Leave for Common Mental Disorders: A Qualitative Study Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour.
Åsa Hedlund, Eva Boman, Marja-Leena Kristofferzon and 1 others
PMID 33492634WHAT IT FOUND
Women returning to work after long-term sick leave for mental health disorders felt pressure from all sides.
They feared losing competence and financial stress, yet valued work for identity and safety. Support felt conditional, often causing guilt rather than relief.
Key findings
01Participants believed that returning to work offered safety, social belonging, and self-esteem, but feared losing professional competence and struggling to maintain work-life balance.
02Support from stakeholders and family was perceived as two-sided; while some felt cared for, others felt pressured to return to work to relieve financial or administrative burdens on others.
03Individual adaptation, such as tailored work pace and employer understanding, was seen as a key facilitator, while high demands, financial stress, and shame were major barriers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was restricted to women, limiting transferability to men. Beliefs of women currently on sick leave were mixed with those no longer on sick leave, so specific differences between these groups are not reported. The study describes perceptions and beliefs, not actual return-to-work outcomes or effectiveness of interventions.
Declared interests
Funded by the University of Gävle. No other conflicts of interest declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these themes as evidence that specific interventions work. This study reports what women believed about return to work, not whether those beliefs predicted successful return or whether any treatment improved outcomes.