Efficacy of a Rework Program for Sick Leave due to Depressive Disorders

Objectives: Sick leave due to depressive disorders is a burden to the individual as well as an important socioeconomic problem. In Japan, the Rework Program was developed to improve work readiness and to prevent relapse in employees who took sick leave. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence supporting its efficacy. The aim of this study was to assess the Rework Program’s efficacy following the patient’s return to work and for relapse prevention. Methods: The subjects included 21 patients who participated in the Rework Program at our university hospital. We compared the working periods of the participants in the 12 months before and the 12 months after the Rework Program and examined changes in the Rework Assist Program Assessment Sheet (RAPAS) scores. Results: Seventy six percent of the patients returned to work after the program, and over 90% of those who returned to work did not take another sick leave during the 12 months follow-up. The working periods after the program were significantly longer than those before the program for all participants. In participants who completed our program, the mean RAPAS scores for “attendance,” “assertiveness,” “coping behaviors,” “initiative,” and “ability to assimilate critical feedback” were significantly higher than those before the program. Conclusion: The present study suggests good efficacy of the program on return to work and on relapse prevention following the initial return to work. In addition, the RAPAS score changes reflected changes in cognition and behaviour following completion of our Rework Program.