Comparing the New Interdisciplinary Health in Work Intervention With Conventional Monodisciplinary Welfare Interventions at Norwegian Workplaces: Protocol for a Pragmatic Cluster Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal and mental health complaints are the dominant diagnostic categories in long-term sick leave and disability pensions in Norway. Continuing to work despite health complaints is often beneficial, and a good work environment can improve work inclusion for people affected. In 2001, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration began to offer inclusive work measures to improve the psychosocial work environment and work inclusion of people with health complaints. In 2018, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration and specialist health services started offering the new collaborative Health in work program. Its workplace intervention presents health and welfare information that may improve employees’ coping ability regarding common health complaints. It encourages understanding of coworkers’ health complaints and appropriate work adjustments to increase work participation. OBJECTIVE: This protocol presents an ongoing, 2-arm, pragmatic cluster-randomized trial. Its aim is to compare the effect of monodisciplinary inclusive work measures (treatment as usual) and interdisciplinary Health in work in terms of changes in overall sickness absence, health care use, health-related quality of life, and costs. The secondary objectives are to compare changes in individual sickness absence, psychosocial work environment, job and life satisfaction, health, and health anxiety at both the individual and group levels. METHODS: Data will be collected from national registers, trial-specific registrations, and questionnaires. Effects will be explored using difference-in-difference analysis and regression modeling. Multilevel analysis will visualize any cluster effects using intraclass correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Inclusion was completed in July 2021 with 97 workplaces and 1383 individual consents. Data collection will be completed with the last questionnaires to be sent out in July 2023. CONCLUSIONS: This trial will contribute to filling knowledge gaps regarding the effectiveness and costs of workplace interventions, thereby benefiting health and welfare services, political decision makers, and the public and business sectors. The findings will be disseminated in reports, peer-reviewed journals, and conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04000035; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04000035 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/36166