Daily life coping—Helping stress-afflicted people manage everyday activities

Abstract

Background

Symptoms of stress are widespread in the working population and associated with long-term sickness absence and poor work functioning. Occupational therapy (OT)-based interventions are effective in improving return-to-work (RTW)-rates in stress-afflicted long-term sickness benefit beneficiaries (SBBs). No Danish standard on OT-RTW for stress-afflicted SSBs exists.

Aims

To describe and evaluate the feasibility of a seven-week OT-RTW intervention for stress-afflicted SBBs.

Materials and methods

Daily Life Coping (DLC) utilizes peer-learning and salutogenetic perspectives to address occupational imbalances experienced by long-term SBBs. Stress-afflicted SBBs (n = 54) in the municipality of Hilleroed were enrolled. Self-efficacy and well-being were measured before and after intervention using the general self-efficacy (GSE) scale and WHO-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5). RTW-rates were measured at one-year follow-up. Participant feedback was collected using standardized evaluation forms.

Results

Following the intervention, WHO-5 improved by 13.7 ± 16.5 points and GSE improved by 4.3 ± 4.8 points. Participant feedback was positive. At one-year follow-up, employment status data were available for 51 SSBs of these 58.8% achieved employment. High post-test GSE and WHO-5 scores were associated with employment at follow-up.

Conclusion

DLC led to significant improvements in self-efficacy and well-being. Preliminary results indicate benefits on RTW-rates.

Significance

This study provides evidence of the feasibility of DLC in a municipal setting.

Keywords:

• Lifestyle redesign
• mental health
• municipal program
• occupational therapy
• return to work intervention
• rehabilitation
• salutogenesis
• stress treatment

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all participants, the municipal Centre for Health, the sickness benefit offices in Hilleroed, and everyone providing help and support during the development and implementation of DLC.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.