TY - JOUR AU - J. Labourot AU - Q. N. Hong AU - C. Briand AU - C. Cameron AU - M. J. Durand AU - N. Giguère AU - É Marois AU - M. Menear AU - M. Trottier AU - H. M. Vasiliadis AU - B. Vachon A1 - AB - BACKGROUND: People with common mental disorders (CMD) are prone to experience work disabilities, which can lead to sick leave. To support their recovery and return to work, evidence recommends providing a combination of primary care services including psychological and work rehabilitation interventions. Furthermore, interventions to coordinate return to work are required to ensure timely access to services and concerted action among stakeholders. Occupational therapists are qualified to provide these interventions and to facilitate sick leave management. However, current medical practices, lack of collaboration among stakeholders, and lack of occupational therapists working within family medicine groups create highly variable care pathways and delays in access to appropriate services. AIM: This study aims to evaluate the acceptability and explore the effects of an occupational therapist-led program integrated within family medicine groups designed to improve the management of CMD-related sick leave and promote patients' recovery and sustainable return to work in the Canadian province of Québec. METHODS: This study will consist of a mixed methods multiple case study design. It will also use a participatory research approach, actively engaging family medicine group team members and patient partners throughout the study. The occupational therapy program will include three components: 1) consultation for prevention of sick leave and support for return-to-work decisions, 2) coordination of recovery and return-to-work services, and 3) provision of recovery and work rehabilitation services adapted to each patient's needs. Questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups will be used to collect data on the eight dimensions of the acceptability model described by Sekhon et al. and to measure pre- and post-outcomes to assess the effects of the occupational therapy program. Data will be analyzed using the Framework Method and repeated measures statistical analysis. DISCUSSION: We expect that the provision of this innovative occupational therapy program will improve patients' outcomes and the service trajectory of people with CMD. This study will document how to enhance interprofessional collaboration within family medicine groups and to ensure equitable access to work rehabilitation services for all patients, thereby improving recovery and healthy sustainable return-to-work. AD - École de réadaptation, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.; Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.; Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR), Montréal, QC, Canada.; Département d'ergothérapie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada.; Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada.; École de Réadaptation, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.; Centre d'action en Prévention et Réadaptation de l'incapacité au Travail, Longueuil, QC, Canada.; Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.; Centre de recherche de Montréal sur les Inégalités sociales, les discriminations et les pratiques alternatives de citoyenneté (CREMIS), Montréal, QC, Canada.; VITAM Research Centre for Sustainable Health, Québec, QC, Canada.; University of Montreal Hospital Centre (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.; Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.; Charles-Le Moyne Research Center, Longueuil, QC, Canada. AN - 39670146 BT - Front Psychiatry C5 - Healthcare Disparities DO - 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1441855 DP - NLM ET - 20241128 JF - Front Psychiatry LA - eng N2 - BACKGROUND: People with common mental disorders (CMD) are prone to experience work disabilities, which can lead to sick leave. To support their recovery and return to work, evidence recommends providing a combination of primary care services including psychological and work rehabilitation interventions. Furthermore, interventions to coordinate return to work are required to ensure timely access to services and concerted action among stakeholders. Occupational therapists are qualified to provide these interventions and to facilitate sick leave management. However, current medical practices, lack of collaboration among stakeholders, and lack of occupational therapists working within family medicine groups create highly variable care pathways and delays in access to appropriate services. AIM: This study aims to evaluate the acceptability and explore the effects of an occupational therapist-led program integrated within family medicine groups designed to improve the management of CMD-related sick leave and promote patients' recovery and sustainable return to work in the Canadian province of Québec. METHODS: This study will consist of a mixed methods multiple case study design. It will also use a participatory research approach, actively engaging family medicine group team members and patient partners throughout the study. The occupational therapy program will include three components: 1) consultation for prevention of sick leave and support for return-to-work decisions, 2) coordination of recovery and return-to-work services, and 3) provision of recovery and work rehabilitation services adapted to each patient's needs. Questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups will be used to collect data on the eight dimensions of the acceptability model described by Sekhon et al. and to measure pre- and post-outcomes to assess the effects of the occupational therapy program. Data will be analyzed using the Framework Method and repeated measures statistical analysis. DISCUSSION: We expect that the provision of this innovative occupational therapy program will improve patients' outcomes and the service trajectory of people with CMD. This study will document how to enhance interprofessional collaboration within family medicine groups and to ensure equitable access to work rehabilitation services for all patients, thereby improving recovery and healthy sustainable return-to-work. PY - 2024 SN - 1664-0640 (Print); 1664-0640 SP - 1441855 ST - Acceptability and exploratory effects of an occupational therapy intervention to improve recovery and return to work of workers with mental health disorders in primary care: a mixed methods study protocol T1 - Acceptability and exploratory effects of an occupational therapy intervention to improve recovery and return to work of workers with mental health disorders in primary care: a mixed methods study protocol T2 - Front Psychiatry TI - Acceptability and exploratory effects of an occupational therapy intervention to improve recovery and return to work of workers with mental health disorders in primary care: a mixed methods study protocol U1 - Healthcare Disparities U3 - 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1441855 VL - 15 VO - 1664-0640 (Print); 1664-0640 Y1 - 2024 ER -