Objectives The current study examined the extent to which symptom improvement and full return to work occurs among clinically burnt-out employees and what the influence of concurring sleep problems ...is with respect to health recovery. Methods Fifty-nine burnt-out employees on extended sick leave assessed their symptoms for 2 weeks using an electronic diary. After 6 months, the measurements were repeated. Symptom levels were compared with those of a healthy reference group that was assessed only once. Results After 6 months, all burnout symptoms had decreased significantly, and full return to work was achieved by 37% of the burnt-out individuals. The symptom levels at 6 months of follow-up among those who had fully returned to work were similar to healthy levels and significantly lower than the levels of those still on sick leave. The persons who benefited poorly from sleep at baseline had higher exhaustion levels at follow-up than those who benefited from sleep. Trouble falling asleep and less refreshing sleep at baseline hampered eventual full work resumption. Conclusions The results show that a significant number of clinically burnt-out employees is able to recover in a 6-month period and that sleep plays an important role both in symptom improvement and in return to work.
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BFBNIB, NMLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
Purpose: The aim was to learn how women on sickness absence due to work related strain perceive and describe their possibilities and obstacles for returning to work.
Method: The focus group method ...was used. Five groups were conducted and each group met at one occasion. Twenty women participated in total.
Results: Three different themes were found. In 'The process of losing control' the participants describe the process from controlling every day living, to total loss of control of private and working life. The second theme, 'Not finding alternatives', deals with the difficulties of finding an alternative way back to work. 'Mastering life as a whole' contains strategies for regaining control over daily activities and life as a whole. The results show that personal as well as environmental factors have an impact for returning to work.
Conclusions: In this study we have received an understanding of the complex situation of being on sickness absence due to work related strain. We have learned the importance of recognizing the context of the individual and understanding the interplay between the person and the environment. As professionals in rehabilitation we can use this knowledge to create a rehabilitation programme supporting people back to work.
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IJS, NUK, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
Objective: To assess and compare prognostic factors for recovery in burnout and prolonged fatigue. Method: Baseline, 12-, 24-, and 48-month follow-up data from the Maastricht Cohort Study were used. ...Prolonged fatigue or burnout cases or both at baseline (n = 2356) were divided into three subgroups: "pure fatigue," "pure burnout," and "burnout & fatigue". Using logistic generalized estimating equation analysis, baseline predictors of recovery, including (mental) health, work, and demographic factors, were determined. Results: Selection variables predicted recovery across the subgroups. Health factors predicted recovery in the pure fatigue and burnout & fatigue subgroups. Differences in work factors emerged between the subgroups. Work factors especially predicted recovery in the pure burnout group. Conclusión: Differences emerged with respect to work and health factors which suggest the importance of differentiating between burnout and prolonged fatigue. This could provide valuable leads for intervention possibilities.
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Summary Sara, the participant in this single case study, had to leave work due to burnout. She is now recovered and working, but still complains of disturbed moods and worries about getting burned ...out again. The aim of this study was to, by way of Qigong and mindfulness exercise, increase the participant's positive mood to a functional level and to increase exercise experiences by combining mindfulness and Qigong practice. The professional practice intervention was planned to last twelve weeks, combining mindfulness practice and three different Qigong exercise techniques. Exercise behavior was noted daily, stress-energy and wellness were followed up weekly, and mindfulness was followed up after four, nine and 12 weeks. Sara feels that her moods (more energy, wellness and joy, as well as less stress and worry) have stabilized at a high level (good to very good), and her mindfulness score also improved to a high level (4.2 on a six-point scale). Sara also states that she enjoys life more: accepts stressful situations as they are, is less worried about becoming burned out again, and is more open to life. Exercise professionals may use mindfulness practice and Qigong exercise when recovering moods, probably even better in preventing burnout syndromes.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Introduction
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of psychosocial working conditions and coping strategies at work on change in sick leave level for patients on long-term sick leave ...due to burnout.
Methods
A cohort sample of patients (
n
= 117) on long-term sick leave due to burnout was analyzed. The patients answered a questionnaire at baseline and sick leave information was collected from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency at baseline and at follow-up 2 years later. Two groups were formed depending on whether the patients had “improved” and reduced their sick leave level (56%) or if the sick leave level was “unchanged” (44%) at follow-up. The association between change in sick leave and predictors measuring psychosocial working conditions and coping strategies at work were analyzed using logistic regression.
Results
The predictor, low control at work, was associated with unchanged sick leave at follow-up. When background characteristics were taken into account, usage of covert coping towards supervisors and covert coping towards workmates, respectively, also predicted unchanged sick leave level. High overcommitment was of borderline significance and associated with a reduced sick leave level at follow-up.
Conclusions
Patients with burnout who have experienced low control at work and used covert coping towards supervisors and/or workmates have a higher risk of not reducing their sick leave after rehabilitation. The workplace may contribute to a reduction of sick leave lengths with a more flexible work environment and improvement in communication strategies for employees and supervisors.
Professional rehabilitation is defined by different activities of professional rehabilitation of the professional orientation, employment and adaptation to new work place. The main goal and idea of ...professional rehabilitation of blind persons should be integration in real work environment. Not only activities of vocational orientation, training or supported adaptation to new work place help reaching integration in real work environment. Specific rehabilitation activities such as O&M (Orientation and Mobility), should be realized as well because they are important part of the support to blind person. These skills, among many other, help inclusion into society and realization of all social functions that person wants to have. This review started with assumption that professional rehabilitation of blind persons and gaining specific skills in the area of orientation and mobility are equally important and key factors for successful employment. To support and argument the core idea of this paper, the review of contemporary theoretical and empirical data had been conducted.
The aim of this article is to provide a literature review on daily recovery and its effects on well-being. Specifically, we will discuss theories that help us understand the process of recovery and ...we will clarify how recovery and its potential outcomes have been conceptualized so far. Subsequently, we present empirical findings of diary studies addressing the activities that may facilitate or hinder daily recovery. We conclude with an overall framework from which recovery can be understood, claiming that daily recovery is an important moderator in the buffering process of the negative effects of job demands.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of a 3-week resort-based spa therapy (a combination of balneotherapy, massages, exercise etc., including a respite from work) on psychological ...symptoms associated with occupational burnout.
In a longitudinal design, a group of 65 actively working individuals (45 women, 20 men, mean age 50.4 +/- 6.7 years) of various occupations selected on the basis of their level of burnout and undergoing spa therapy primarily for musculoskeletal pain were studied in regard to the change in fatigue, distress, reduced motivation, and quality of sleep. Variables were assessed at the beginning and at the end of spa therapy as well as 4 weeks and 3 months after treatment. Two levels of burnout were distinguished: individuals with mild burnout (i.e. increased emotional exhaustion) and individuals with a full burnout syndrome (i.e. increased exhaustion plus social detachment and/or performance dissatisfaction).
At the end of the treatment, all four symptoms of burnout showed a significant improvement in both groups compared to their pre-treatment level. This improvement was sustained up to 3 months post-treatment for both burnout groups.
Spa therapy may be a helpful measure for treating the symptoms of occupational burnout.
To focus rehabilitation activities among burnout clients more effectively, it is important to investigate who benefits from burnout interventions. This study (N=85) aimed at identifying burnout ...trajectories in terms of benefit, that is, subgroups of clients who share similar mean levels and changes in burnout during a one-year rehabilitation intervention (17 days in total) with a six-month follow-up. After identifying the burnout trajectories, the relations of the trajectories with factors describing the clients, antecedents, and consequences of burnout during the one-year intervention were examined. Three burnout trajectories were identified by growth mixture modeling: (a) low burnout (n=39), (b) high burnout - benefited (n=29), and (c) high burnout - not benefited (n=17). Positive changes were detected in antecedents and consequences among the clients in the low burnout and high burnout - benefited trajectories. Recovery from burnout was associated with increased job resources and decreased job demands, as well as with increased job satisfaction and decreased depression. It seems that more precise targeting of rehabilitation is needed since the trajectories revealed not only clients with mild symptoms, but also clients who probably received this treatment too late.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FSPLJ, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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