Employment and Arthritis: Making it Work (MIW)

University of British Columbia

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Spondylarthropathy; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Other Connective Tissue Diseases; Psoriatic Arthritis; Ankylosing Spondylitis; Rheumatoid Arthritis

Treatments: Behavioral: Employment and Arthritis: Making it Work

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01852851

H11-03527

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators plan to conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and the cost effectiveness of an on-line eLearning program (entitled Employment and Arthritis: Making it Work) designed to help people with inflammatory arthritis stay employed. The program also includes assessments with 1) an occupational therapist, and 2) a vocational rehabilitation counsellor at the end of the program to help participants identify and obtain necessary changes at work. People from three provinces will be recruited from collaborators' patient and program recipient lists. The study group will receive the program intervention and the control group will receive "usual care" and printed educational material. All participants will be followed for five years. The effectiveness of the program at improving at work productivity and reducing work cessation will be evaluated compared to a control group receiving printed material on employment and arthritis.

Enrollment: 528 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 59 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Between ages 18 and 59 years
• Able to read and write English
• Have inflammatory arthritis confirmed by a rheumatologist (Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic, Psoriatic Arthritis, Other Connective Tissue Diseases and Spondylarthropathy)
• Have access to a computer, a web-cam, a headset and a printer, or willingness to purchase these items
• Are willing to travel to Vancouver, Kelowna, Victoria, Prince Rupert, Prince George, Cranbrook or Kamloops, Calgary, Toronto, Newmarket or Brampton for one visit with an occupational therapist

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals who are not working
• Individuals on sick leave, short term or long term work disability
• Students
• People performing unpaid work such as volunteer work or taking care of family
• People planning to retire in the next six years
• Individuals unable to provide informed consent
• Individuals living outside of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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528 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The intervention group will participate in the on-line eLearning program, an ergonomic assessment by an Occupational Therapist and job retention vocational counselling by a Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor

Treatment:

Behavioral: Employment and Arthritis: Making it Work

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

The control group will receive "usual care" and receive printed educational materials about work and arthritis.