Return-to-work in Japanese Occupational Health Settings: A Systematic Review and Recommendations

Noriko Kojimahara; Go Muto; Koji Teruya; Kazuhiro Nogawa; Shotaro Doki; On Behalf of the Committee for the Development of Return-to-work Guidelines in Occupational Health 2017, the Kanto Branch of the Japan Society for Occupational Health

doi:10.24488/twmuj.2019007

Abstract

Background: Evidence-based return-to-work (RTW) guidelines are lacking in Japan. Here, we investigated whether workplace interventions would shorten the sick-leave period.

Methods: A literature search using six occupational health review questions (OHRQs) was conducted in January 2016, and randomized controlled trials were selected. A meta-analysis was conducted for OHRQs 1 and 2 and a qualitative systematic review for OHRQs 3 and 4. Recommendations were subsequently made after thoroughly considering their feasibility in Japan.

Results: A committee formed by the Kanto Branch of the Japan Society for Occupational Health agreed on four recommendations for employees concerning sick-leave due to musculoskeletal and mental health disorders.

Conclusion: Conditional recommendations included that RTW programs (OHRQ1) and collaboration between occupational health and clinical staff (OHRQ2) shorten the length of sick-leave due to musculoskeletal and mental health disorders. Work accommodation (OHRQ4) was also conditionally recommended for musculoskeletal disorders. Social support was also a good practice approach despite insufficient evidence.

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This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original source is properly credited.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.ja

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