Pathways to Employment for the Long-term Unemployed

Göteborg University

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Unemployment

Treatments: Behavioral: Active labor market intervention

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04247932

2018-01324

Details and patient eligibility

About

This project's aims are twofold (1) to uncover and define the underlying theories of change guiding competing active labor market programs (ALMP) in Sweden, and (2) to assess the relative effectiveness of these competing programs in a theory-based non-randomized controlled trial. The purpose is to assess the extent to which competing ALMPs are effective in moving long-term unemployed individuals (i.e. unemployed for 6 months or more) closer to the labor-market.

Full description

Long-term unemployment has a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities. In addition, the effects of long-term unemployment have been found to impact subgroups differently. Today there is scant knowledge on the mechanisms that are influential in moving individuals from long-term unemployment closer to the labor market. This study is designed to answer six research questions using a variety of methods (mixed-methods) and outcome measures (self-report, official register). In addition, this study leverages official register data to construct an untreated control group. This study will assess the extent to which an emerging theory of becoming job ready holds under experimental scrutiny.

This project will engage ALMP program administrators and service providers in semi-structured interviews. A total of 6 competing ALMPs will be included in the study. The transcribed interview material will be used as a basis for program theory reconstruction. All specified program theories will be presented back to program stakeholders for validation. ALMP program effectiveness will be assessed quasi-experimentally with pre- (T1) and posttest (T2) collection of self-reported data. Additionally, official register data from the Longitudinal integrated database for health insurance and labor market studies (LISA) will be collected for all participants. In addition, a matched sample will be collected from LISA to be used as a non-treated control group on final policy outcomes (e.g., employment, salary/wage). This study also assesses program implementation and economic outcomes of competing the competing ALMPs.

Enrollment: 200 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Unemployed for a period of at least 6 months, and
• 25 years old or younger, or
• born outside of Sweden, or
• 55 years old or older without higher education, or
• has a disability (physical, intellectual, neuropsychiatric, or mental) and
• receives social insurance benefits, or
• receives social welfare benefits

Exclusion criteria

• referred for services primarily by the Department of Justice

Trial design

200 participants in 3 patient groups

Municipal

Description:

Individual participants receiving active labor market intervention from municipal providers

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active labor market intervention

Non-profit

Description:

Individual participants receiving active labor market intervention from non-profit providers

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active labor market intervention

Register

Description:

Matched sample from register data, no intervention provided