[Sick-listed persons think job adjustments might reduce sick-leave]

In the 1990's, improving the follow-up of sick-listed patients with a focus on job adjustments has been a priority in Norwegian social policy. In a study of 1,000 consecutive sick-listed patients (14 days or more) with a musculoskeletal or mental disorder as primary diagnosis, we asked 499 randomly selected sick-listed patients about their opinion on whether adjustments in their job situation might reduce their need for sick-leave in the current episode or in the future. 161 useful questionnaires were returned. Nearly 30% replied that job adjustments might bring down his or her current sick-leave, and 40% thought that job adjustments might reduce future needs for sick-leaves. One in four were of the opinion that they might return to work immediately if job adjustments were made. Among those who knew about job adjustments which had in fact been implemented at their place of work, there were no significant differences in the estimates of potential reductions by age, sex, diagnosis or occupation, with the exception that young women who worked in places where such adjustments had been made, had little belief in the potential of such adjustments. We may conclude that in the sick-listed patients' own opinion, job adjustments have a considerable potential for cutting down the number of working days lost by sickness. The Norwegian "active sick-leave" scheme is suitable and might be used more.