Testing the efficacy of WORK-ON: vocational rehabilitation for people with chronic inflammatory arthritis in Denmark-protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Introduction: Among people with chronic inflammatory arthritis (IA), up to 40% lose their job in the first few years after diagnosis of this condition and are hence at high risk of being permanently excluded from the labour market. Therefore, we developed a new context-specific vocational rehabilitation (VR) for people with IA. This 6 month VR (WORK-ON) includes the following: (1) an initial assessment and goal setting by a coordinating occupational therapist, who supports cooperation and coordination between relevant partners and navigation across primary and secondary care, (2) four group sessions with peers and (3) individual sessions with a social worker, nurse or physiotherapist. The objective of this trial is to test the overall efficacy of WORK-ON as an add-on to usual care and compare it with usual care provided to a control group.

Methods and analysis: A randomised controlled trial has been planned. Patients with IA, aged at least 18 years and experiencing job insecurity will be randomised to one of two groups: (1) the intervention group receiving WORK-ON VR as an add-on to usual care and (2) the control group receiving usual care. The primary outcome is the difference in work ability 12 months after baseline, which will be measured using the Work Ability Index single item. The key secondary outcome measures are absenteeism, presenteeism, overall work impairment, activity impairment and job loss measured at baseline and at 6, 12, 18 and 30 month follow-up. Secondary outcome measures are quality of life, mental well-being, fatigue, sleep, physical activity, occupational balance and pain, which will be measured at baseline and at 6 and 12 month follow-up.

Ethics and dissemination: The Regional Committees on Health Research Ethics in Southern Denmark waived the requirement for a formal approval (Journal number S-20232000-3). The participants will provide informed consent prior to participating in the trial.

Trial registration number: NCT06299917.