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Table 2 Overview of important RTW factors and effective VR interventions according to our expert panel

From: Return to work factors and vocational rehabilitation interventions for long-term, partially disabled workers: a modified Delphi study among vocational rehabilitation professionals

Factors associated with RTW (> 80%)

Factor that can be targeted using VR interventions (> 80%)

VR interventions that are effective in targeting a factor (> 70%)

Motivation to RTW [18]

yes

E (89%)1, G (95%)2, I (90%)2, R (90%)2, F (85%)2, K (85%)2, L (80%)2, H (75%)2

Illness perceptionb

yes

G(72%)1, H (95%)2, I (95%)2

Societal participationb

yes

F (95%)1, E (95%)2, R (95%)2, G (85%)2, H (70%)2

Importance of work [18]

yes

F (90%)2, G (90%)2, R (90%)2, K (85%)2, E (85%)2, L (70%)2

Family issuesb

yes

D (74%)1, H (85%)2, G (80%)2, U (70%)2

Financial problemsb [17]

yes

D (95%)1

History of substance abuseb

yes

None

Recent life eventsa

yes

H (90%)2, D (85%)2, T (80%)2

Job application skillsb

yes

N (89%)1

Copingb

yes

H (100%)2, G (90%)2, E (85%)2, I (85%)2, T (80%)2

Job self-efficacy [16]

yes

G (72%)1, I (72%)1, L (72%)1, R (72%)1

Fear avoidance behaviour [19]

yes

G (83%)1

Social network [16]

yes

F (84%)1

Willing to make concessions [16]

yes

None

Reintegration services already started in the pasta

yes

None

Employee skills [17]

yes

J (83%)1

RTW self-efficacy [18]

yes

H (72%)1, L (72%)1, R (72%)1

Self-esteem [17]

yes

G (79%)1

RTW expectations [16, 18]

yes

None

Self-sufficiencyb

yes

None

Quality of life [19]

yes

None

Unhealthy lifestyle [16]

yes

None

Caring for childrena

yes

None

Experiences at old workplaceb

yes

None

Unemployment[17]

yes

Not applicable

Perceived general health [16, 21]

yes

G (78%)1, I (78%)1, H (72%)1

Work-life balanceb

yes

None

Sense of responsibilityb

yes

None

Work ability [17, 18]

yes

None

Previously been in contact with the law

yes

None

Knowledge of the labour marketa

yes

L (78%)1

Secondary gain of illnessa

yes

E (79%)1

Job search behaviourb

yes

N (83%)1, L (78%)1

Job search intensity [16]

yes

L (72%)1, M (72%)1

Volunteer work [17]

yes

Not applicable

Understanding of the Dutch languageb

no

 

Language proficiencyb

no

 

Social support (outside of work) [18]

no

 

Alcohol/Substance abuse [17]

no

 

Secure housinga

no

 

Compensation claim for personal injurya

no

 

Diplomasb

no

 

Main wage earner [17, 21]

no

 

Pain [19,20,21]

no

 

Treatmentb

no

 

Income [21]

no

 

Willingness to learnb

no

 

Disability rateb

no

 

Social norms regarding RTW [16]

no

 

Transportationb

no

 

Objection or appeal to decision for disability pensionb

no

 

Work historyb

no

 

Level of education [18]

no

 

(Re-)trainingb

no

 

Health transition [19]

no

 

(Informal) Care [17]

no

 

Age [16, 18, 20, 21]

no

 

Time since last working daya

no

 
  1. aFactor added based on suggestions by experts in round 1
  2. bFactor was retrieved from conversations with professionals
  3. cFactors were ranked based on 1) if they could be targeted with a VR intervention and 2) the percentage of consensus if a factor is associated with the RTW of a long-term disabled worker
  4. 1Consensus was reached in round 4 VR interventions for which consensus was reached in round 4 are listed before VR interventions for which consensus was reached in the fifth round
  5. 2Consensus was reached in round 5
  6. (A) Informing the disabled worker about the disability benefit or the re-integration process; (B) Professional (multidisciplinary) consultation to optimize the service offered to the disabled worker; (C) Assessing vocational needs; (D) Referral to services offered by other organizations; (E) Increasing motivation; (F) Improving societal participation; (G) Improving self-image and self-knowledge; (H) Increasing psychological resilience; (I) Improving vitality and physical resilience; (J) Strengthening employee skills; (K) Identifying what the disabled worker wants to do in terms of work; (L) Identifying what the disabled worker can do in terms of work; (M) Helping to search for vacancies; (N) Improving skills and helping with applying for a job; (O) Mediating; (P) Workplace adjustments or support; (Q) Training; (R) Increasing work experience; (S) Providing facilities; (T) Cognitive behavioural therapy; (U) Multidisciplinary interventions; (V) Individual Placement and Support (IPS). A description of the VR interventions can be found in Supplement 3. The VR interventions were assigned a letter based on the order in which we presented them to the participants during the Delphi