A1127 Acquired Brain Injury and work participation; development of a multi-disciplinary guideline

Thursday, March 22, 2012: 14:15
Costa Maya 3 (Cancun Center)
Haije Wind, University of Amsterdam, Coronel Institute Of Occupational Medicine; Academic Medical Center, University Of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Birgit Donker-cools, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medlcal Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Coen Van Bennekom, Rehabilitation, Heliomare, Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands
Monique Frings-Dressen, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Introduction
Acquired brain injury (ABI) is a relevant disorder in modern society considering costs of treatment, rehabilitation as well as absenteeism and disability. Each year about 100.000 persons are taken into hospital in the Netherlands with ABI and about 30% of those are younger than 30 years. Only about 40% of the ABI patients return to work after two years. The aim is to develop a guideline for a better knowledge about the relevant factors that impede and promote return to work (RTW) and streamlining the process from the start of the ABI to the moment of RTW and during work after returning.

Methods
A multi-disciplinary guideline was developed by a group in which all relevant disciplines around the ABI patient were represented. Also patient involvement was guaranteed by representatives of ABI patient organizations. After defining the problems to which the guideline should give solutions, literature search, focus groups and expert discussions took place. One of the research questions was about the barriers and facilitators for return to work of ABI patients.

Results
Both from literature and focus group interviews barriers for work participation like fatigue and headache, lack of support, cognitive impairments, and negative perceptions were named. Facilitating factors were among others: understanding and support in the workplace, flexible working hours, low-stimulus work environment.  Important part of the guideline is also a flow chart about the cooperation and information exchange between the medical experts involved in the RTW process of ABI patients.

Discussion
By knowing what factors are important in the RTW process of ABI patients and exchanging this information on the right moment between relevant professionals, more patients with ABI can return to work. New about this guideline is that it bears a multi-disciplinary character, is focused on work participation and the input of patients in the development of the guideline.

See more of: Development and Evaluation of evidence-based practice guidelines in Occupational Health
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