• C Björkelund, E-L Petersson, I Svenningsson, A Saxvik, L Wiegner, G Hensing, I H Jonsdottir, M Larsson, C Wikberg, N Ariai, S Nejati, and D Hange.
• Primary Health Care/Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
• Scand J Prim Health Care. 2024 Sep 1; 42 (3): 378392378-392.

ObjectivesTo investigate whether intensified cooperation between general practitioner (GP), care manager and rehabilitation coordinator (RC) for patients sick-listed for stress-related mental disorder, combined with a person-centred dialogue meeting with employer, could reduce sick-leave days compared with usual care manager contact.DesignPragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trial, randomisation at primary care centre (PCC) level.SettingPCCs in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, with care manager organisation.ParticipantsOf 30 invited PCCs, 28 (93%) accepted the invitation and recruited 258 patients newly sick-listed due to stress-related mental disorder (n = 142 intervention, n = 116 control PCCs).InterventionCooperation between GP, care manager and rehabilitation coordinator from start of illness notification plus a person-centred dialogue meeting between patient and employer within 3 months. Regular contact with care manager was continued at the control PCCs.Main Outcome Measures12-months net and gross number of sick-leave days. Secondary outcomes: Symptoms of stress, depression, anxiety; work ability and health related quality of life (EQ-5D) over 12 months.ResultsThere were no significant differences between intervention and control groups after 12 months: days on sick-leave (12-months net sick-leave days, intervention, mean = 110.7 days (95% confidence interval (CI) 82.6 - 138.8); control, mean = 99.1 days (95% CI 73.9 - 124.3)), stress, depression, or anxiety symptoms, work ability or EQ-5D. There were no significant differences between intervention and control groups concerning proportion on sick-leave after 3, 6, 12 months. At 3 months 64.8% were on sick-leave in intervention group vs 54.3% in control group; 6 months 38% vs 32.8%, and12 months 16.9% vs 15.5%.ConclusionIncreased cooperation at the PCC between GP, care manager and RC for stress-related mental disorder coupled with an early workplace contact in the form of a person-centred dialogue meeting does not reduce days of sick-leave or speed up rehabilitation.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03250026 https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03250026?tab=results#publicationsCO-WORK-CAREFirst Posted: August 15, 2017. Recruitment of PCCs: September 2017. Inclusion of patients from December 2017.

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