Randomized Controlled Trial of Adding Telephone Follow-Up to an Occupational Rehabilitation Program to Increase Work Participation.

Participants and coordinators could not be blinded, so expectations may have influenced behaviour. The study did not register details of how standard community-based follow-up was delivered. The authors question whether work of at least 1 day per week on average over 8 weeks represents a significant improvement. The cost analysis did not include coordinator training or biweekly counseling. Subgroup findings, including the young adult finding, had low precision. Combining different sources of registry data for hours worked created a potential for measurement bias. The study did not undertake a standard cost-effectiveness analysis because limited cost information was available.

The supplied text does not report funding or conflicts of interest, although the publication types include non-U.S. government research support.

Do not conclude that telephone follow-up alone caused the return-to-work gain. Participants first completed a 3½-week occupational rehabilitation program, and the trial compared adding 6 months of follow-up to standard follow-up only.