Dutch Dataset Vocational Rehabilitation for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Baseline Patients' Characteristics and Program Eligibility.

PURPOSE: Vocational rehabilitation (VR) is an intervention to improve return to work for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP). However, a systematic overview of characteristics of referred patients or eligible for VR is lacking, which hinders comparability across studies. Objectives were (1) to describe characteristics of patients with CMP referred to and eligible for VR and (2) to identify factors that contribute to VR eligibility. METHODS: This study used a multicenter, cross-sectional design. Data of self-reported questionnaires were obtained between 2013 and 2019 from care as usual of eight Dutch VR centers. Descriptive statistics were performed to describe sociodemographic, pain-related, and work-related characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors contributing to VR eligibility. RESULTS: Data sets of n = 2970 referred patients were included. The mean age was 46 years and 60% were female. Low back (43%), neck (37%), and shoulder pain (34%) were most reported. 82% Worked in paid employment. The absenteeism rate was 85%, and 44% was partially absent. After multidisciplinary screening, 62.2% were eligible for VR. Persons most likely to be eligible for VR (OR < 1.20) were those having back or neck pain, whereas least eligible (OR < 0.80) were persons having pain in hand/fingers or pain in other regions, unemployed workers, and those referred by a 'other' medical specialists. All other factors contributed little or none to the model. CONCLUSIONS: An extensive description of sociodemographic, pain-related, and work-related characteristics is presented for patients eligible for VR. Especially having back/neck pain and being an employee were associated with higher chance of eligibility for VR.

Influence of obesity prevalence on social norms and weight control motivation: a cross-sectional comparison of the Netherlands and the UK.

This cross-sectional survey study explored associations between perceived bodyweight norms, psychological need satisfaction and motivation for weight control among 500 adult residents of two countries with different overweight/obesity prevalence: the UK (63% prevalence) and the Netherlands (50%). A hypothesised model of the effects of descriptive norms (i.e. perceptions of what is typical for most people) and injunctive norms (i.e. perceptions of what is typically approved by others) on autonomous motivation, mediated through basic psychological need satisfaction, was analysed using structural equation modelling. Descriptive norms did not differ between countries, yet UK adults reported a lower-weight injunctive norm. Perceiving higher bodyweights to be normal negatively predicted motivation to manage one's bodyweight mediated through an undermining effect on psychological need satisfaction. Perceiving higher bodyweights to be normal may have the potential to reduce individual motivation for weight control, but the sensitivity of people's perceptions to objective differences in overweight prevalence appears limited.

Lifting capacity is associated with central sensitization and non-organic signs in patients with chronic back pain.

PURPOSE: To analyze the associations between lifting capacity, and central sensitization (CS) and non-organic signs (NOS) in patients with chronic back pain (CBP) attending vocational rehabilitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional observational multicenter study among patients with CBP undergoing a return to work assessment within care as usual. Main analyses: step 1: partial correlation between lifting capacity, and CS, NOS, and additional variables; step 2: multiple regression in stepwise forward method for dependent variable lifting capacity, and for independent variables CS and NOS, and additional variables significant (p < 0.05) at step 1. All analyses were controlled for sex. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients of mean age 42.5 years and 59% women participated in the study. Correlations between lifting capacity and CS and NOS were r = -0.53 and r = -0.50, respectively. CS and NOS, as well as age and sex, contributed significantly to the final regression model, which explained 57.6% of variance. CONCLUSIONS: After controlling for confounders, CS and NOS were negatively associated with lifting capacity in patients with CBP. Explained variance was substantially higher than previously reported studies.Implications for RehabilitationThe identification of central sensitization and non-organic signs (NOS) in patients with chronic back pain can alert clinicians about central nervous system being in a hypersensitive state and about pain behavior.Central sensitization and NOS are relevant determinants of lifting capacity.Better understanding of the factors affecting lifting capacity lead to better design and tailoring of interventions, resulting in optimized vocational rehabilitation programs and faster return to work.

A pilot study in the association between Waddell Non-organic Signs and Central Sensitization.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional observational multicenter pilot-study was performed within care as usual in three rehabilitation centers in the Netherlands. OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between Waddell Non-organic Signs (NOS) and Central Sensitization (CS) in patients with chronic back pain. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A possible relationship between NOS and CS is theoretically plausible, but it has never been tested. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational multicenter pilot-study was performed in three rehabilitation centers in the Netherlands. Patients with chronic back pain were included. Main measures were Waddell's NOS, a battery of eight clinical tests performed during a physical examination, and Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), a questionnaire measuring symptoms originating from CS. Analyses included Spearman correlation and univariate multiple regression analysis with NOS as dependent variable, CSI as independent, and controlled for confounders (psychosocial variables). RESULTS: Data of n = 56 patients (59% female, mean age 42.6 years) were obtained. Correlation between NOS and CSI was rs = 0.34 (p = 0.01). After controlling for confounders, CSI did not independently predict NOS. CONCLUSION: In this pilot study, CS was moderately related to NOS, but CS did not independently contribute to NOS after controlling for confounders. The results suggest that NOS may not exclusively be non-organic tests, although questions remain. The results of this pilot study can help to develop larger studies to allow replication and more detailed analyses.