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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Finnish Institute of Occupational Health | OTHER |
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The goal of this observational study is to learn about the effects of two different musculoskeletal rehabilitation programs in working-age people with musculoskeletal disorders. The main question it aims to answer is:
Do musculoskeletal rehabilitation programs A or B improve work ability in people with musculoskeletal disorders?
Participants starting in rehabilitation programs A and B will answer survey questions about their work ability and related factors three times: when starting, immediately after the rehabilitation ends, and 4 months after ending the rehabilitation. Participants in study group C will answer the same questions during the same time period.
Researchers will compare participants in rehabilitation programs A and B to participants in group C, who have musculoskeletal disorders but will not participate in rehabilitation programs. The comparison is done to see if there are differences in the changes in work ability and related factors, such as pain or quality of life.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face-to-face musculoskeletal rehabilitation (A) | Participation in a face-to-face rehabilitation course organized by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) for those with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) (A) |
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| Musculoskeletal telerehabilitation (B) | Participation in a telerehabilitation course organized by Kela for those with MSD (B) |
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| Controls (C) | Persons with MSD who had contacted their occupational health care because of musculoskeletal symptoms, and will not participate in Kela's musculoskeletal rehabilitation course during the study period |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Face-to-face musculoskeletal rehabilitation | Other | Kela's rehabilitation course for those with MSD includes two 5-day periods and one 3-day period of face-to-face rehabilitation, which are carried out in a Finnish rehabilitation center over a 9-month period and implemented by a multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation experts. The rehabilitation course is group-based and provided free of charge. The 9-month rehabilitation period also includes calls to the participants before and after rehabilitation. The course is intended for persons over the age of 18 with diagnosed MSD and difficulties coping with work or studies. The course provides support, tools, and coaching to help manage daily life and work with MSD. Self-rehabilitation is an important component of the program. Individual goals based on the GAS method are set, evaluated, and adjusted during the rehabilitation. A medical statement is required when applying for the rehabilitation course. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Change from Baseline in Work Ability at 4-6 Months and 8-10 Months | Work Ability Index questionnaire (7-49 points; the higher score indicates better work ability) | Baseline (pre-intervention), 4-6 months (after the intervention), 8-10 months (4-month follow-up) |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Change from Baseline in Mood at 4-6 months | Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI-21) (0-63; the higher score indicates more depressive symptoms) | Baseline (pre-intervention), 4-6 months (after the intervention) |
| Change from Baseline in Quality of Life at 4-6 months |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Groups 1 ja 2:
diagnosed musculoskeletal disorder
18 years or older
in employment, returning to work, studying, or receives rehabilitation subsidy
participating in either of the following:
willingness to participate in the study
Group 3 (Controls):
Exclusion Criteria:
Group 3 (Controls):
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Those starting in either of the following services between January 2025 and January 2026:
Persons with MSD who contacted their occupational health care between January 2025 and January 2026 because of musculoskeletal symptoms, but will not participate in Kela's musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Two private companies offering occupational health care services nationally are involved.
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| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Social Insurance Institution of Finland | Helsinki | 00250 | Finland |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D009140 | Musculoskeletal Diseases |
| D010146 | Pain |
| D059350 | Chronic Pain |
| D059352 | Musculoskeletal Pain |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D009461 | Neurologic Manifestations |
| D012816 | Signs and Symptoms |
| D013568 | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms |
| D009135 | Muscular Diseases |
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| Musculoskeletal telerehabilitation | Other | Kela´s MSD telerehabilitation course is arranged entirely as telerehabilitation, and it includes videoconferencing, online rehabilitation, and group-based rehabilitation days implemented by a multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation experts. Participation does not require particular IT skills, but appropriate equipment (e.g., mobile phone, laptop, tablet computer) is needed. The rehabilitation course is free of charge, and the total duration, including the calls before and after rehabilitation, is approximately 7 months. The course is intended for persons over the age of 18 with diagnosed MSD and difficulties coping with work or studies. The course provides support, tools, and coaching to help manage daily life and work with MSD. Self-rehabilitation is an important component of the program. Individual goals based on the GAS method are set, evaluated, and adjusted during the rehabilitation. A physiotherapist's recommendation is required when applying for the telerehabilitation course |
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| Controls | Other | The control participants have an MSD diagnosis and musculoskeletal symptoms. Based on an occupational physiotherapist's brief evaluation they are eligible to apply for Kela's musculoskeletal rehabilitation (the interventions below). By them own choice, however, they will not participate in these rehabilitation programs in the near future. The controls are recruited via two occupational health care producers in the private sector. |
|
World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) (0-100; the higher score indicates better quality of life) |
| Baseline (pre-intervention), 4-6 months (after the intervention) |
| Change from Baseline in Functional Ability at 4-6 months | PROMIS®-29 Profile v2.1 (without 4 questions concerning depression) (t-score; the higher score indicates more measured quality) | Baseline (pre-intervention), 4-6 months (after the intervention) |
| Change from Baseline in Pain at 4-6 months and 8-10 months | 5 questions from PROMIS®-29 Profile v2.1 concerning pain and 5 questions concerning musculoskeletal pain characteristics | Baseline (pre-intervention), 4-6 months (after the intervention), 8-10 months (4-month follow-up) |
| Change from Baseline in Return-to-Work Self Efficacy at 4-6 months | Return-to-Work Self Efficacy (RTW-SE), modified version (0-66; the higher score indicates better self efficacy) | Baseline (pre-intervention), 4-6 months (after the intervention) |
| Invidual Goal Achievement | Goal Attainment Scaling method (GAS) | 4-6 months (after intervention) |
| Days Lost Through Sickness | Register-based data concerning sickness allowance. The sickness allowance is paid as compensation for loss of income due to incapacity for work lasting less than a full year. Periods which have lasted ten days or more are available in Kela's register. | Between January 1, 2024 and June 30, 2026 |