How to strengthen the RTW process and collaboration between patients with chronic pain and their employers in interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs? Patients’ experiences of the Demand and Ability Protocol

Figures & data

Table 1. Overview of domains and number of items in the DAP.

Domains in the DAP	Number of items in each domain	Examples of items in each domain
Mental and cognitive ability	7 items	E.g., concentration, memory, act goal-oriented and independent
Basic skills and social ability	10 items	E.g., writing, reading, handling conflicts and own emotions
Tolerance for physical conditions	8 items	E.g., heat, cold, personal protective equipment, dust, vibrations
Ability to work dynamically	14 items	E.g., work with hand and fingers, forward bending, rotation of body
Ability to work statically	6 items	E.g., sit, stand, work with arms above shoulders or in forward bent position
Ability to work certain times	3 items	E.g., working hours per day or week

Table 2. Participants characteristics.

Participant	Gender	Age	Profession	Year at work	Pain duration (year)
Eva	Female	40	Bank clerk	10	1
Erik	Male	29	Storage work	3	2
Maria	Female	37	Teacher	3	1
Anna	Female	54	Teacher	8	9
David	Male	54	Plumber	5	18
Lena	Female	38	Teacher	3	38
Kristina	Female	42	Office work	2,5	1
Åsa	Female	46	Social worker	1	2^a
Karin	Female	25	Team leader	5,5	4
Sofia	Female	42	Administrator	23	4
Charlotte	Female	25	Product quality engineer	24	20
Jan	Male	45	Assistant nurse	7
Maja	Female	46	Teacher	20	5
Susanne	Female	52	Administrator	7	16
Frida	Female	55	Local manager	2	20
Sara	Female	24	Alarm operator	1,5	5
Erika	Female	26	Biomedical analyst	3	6
Tomas	Male	51	Supervisor	4	11

^aHad intermittent not continuous pain.

Table 3. Themes and sub-themes.

Themes	Sub-themes
A structured dialogue facilitated new insights	Richness of details Shared platform to use in the dialogue New insights regarding demands at work
The dialogue enabled employer participation	Confirmation from the employer of being needed at work Resolved misunderstandings Increased understanding from the employer
The facilitator enabled experiences of feeling safe during the dialogue	Knowledge of the participants’ everyday life created feelings of security Seen as a neutral part in the dialogue Contribute with suggestions regarding work adaptations
The dialogue created a link between rehabilitation and work	Prepared for the dialogue during rehabilitation Enabled a continued dialogue between the participant and the employer after rehabilitation

Data availability statement

Data are available upon reasonable request.