Contact information
Type
Scientific
Primary contact
Ms Judith Heinrich
ORCID ID
Contact details
TNO Quality of Life
P.O. Box 718
Hoofddorp
2130 AS
Netherlands
+31 (0)23 55499922
judith.heinrich@tno.nl
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
N/A
Study information
Scientific title
Acronym
Effectiveness of www.SnelBeter.nl
Study hypothesis
Many employees who are sicklisted do not really know how to handle the situation. Simple and specific education and individually based instructions through a website can possibly solve or reduce this problem. Moreover, the website contains a questionnaire which offers relevant information for the Occupational Physician (OP). This can be a helpful tool, because OPs unfortunately often neglect guidelines.
Previous studies show that OPs do not refer at all or refer too late to specific interventions. This study will investigate the effectiveness of an interactive website. The hypothesis is that employees, by using this website, learn how to handle the situation. This will improve recovery and stimulate earlier return to work. Besides, the OPs will receive more information by using this website. Due to this extra information OPs can refer quickly to an intervention.
Ethics approval
Not provided at time of registration
Study design
Randomised controlled trial
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Diagnostic
Patient information sheet
Condition
Work-related MusculoSkeletal Disorders (WMSDs)
Intervention
All participants will receive usual care in accordance with the guidelines for OPs. Participants in the intervention group will also use the website.
This website is an extra tool to understand their situation and illustrates what they can do themselves to solve the problem. The website generates simple but specific information about the situation for each employee.
Moreover, the website gives individually based instructions, and the OPs will receive more information by using this website. Due to this extra information OPs can refer quickly to an intervention.
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Not Specified
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
There are three primary study parameters:
1. Employees understanding of their situation and autonomy
2. Performance of OPs
3. Time to refer by the OP
Secondary outcome measures
The secondary study parameter is time to full return to work
Overall trial start date
01/09/2006
Overall trial end date
31/12/2007
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
All employees of the Dutch railway company (Nederlandse Spoorwegen [NS]) and the Dutch airline company (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij [KLM]) who are sicklisted for two weeks because of back or neck complaints, who are willing to participate in the study and who do not meet the exclusion criteria mentioned below.
Participant type
Patient
Age group
Adult
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
128
Participant exclusion criteria
1. Red flags
2. Less than 12 hours of paid work a week
3. Not able to understand the Dutch language
4. Not able to work with internet and email
Recruitment start date
01/09/2006
Recruitment end date
31/12/2007
Locations
Countries of recruitment
Netherlands
Trial participating centre
TNO Quality of Life
Hoofddorp
2130 AS
Netherlands
Sponsor information
Organisation
VU University Medical Center/EMGO-Institute (The Netherlands)
Sponsor details
Van der Boechorststraat 7
Amsterdam
1081 BT
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 4448180
emgo@vumc.nl
Sponsor type
Hospital/treatment centre
Website
Funders
Funder type
Industry
Funder name
Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KLM) (Royal Dutch Airlines) (The Netherlands)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Funder name
Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) (Dutch Railways) (The Netherlands)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Funder name
SAGB (The Netherlands)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Funder name
WorkWell (The Netherlands)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Funder name
STECR Alladin Program (The Netherlands)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Funder name
EMGO Institute internal funding (The Netherlands)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not provided at time of registration
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list