Affiliations: Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University,
Sundsvall/Östersund, Sweden | Faculty of Health Science, Nord-Trøndelag
University College, Levanger, Norway | Division of Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of
Public Health Science, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden | Stockholm Rehabilitation Medicine University Centre,
Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Yvonne Åhrberg, Department
of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, 851 70 Sundsvall, Sweden. Tel.: +46
60148517; Fax: +46 60148910; E-mail: yvonne.ahrberg@miun.se
Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify situations and
phenomena that have simplified returning to work for women on long-term sick
leave. Participants: Seven women who were exposed to a relatively large
number of risk factors that normally are associated with difficulties in returning to work. Methods: In-depth interviews with qualitative content analysis. Results: The analysis indicated four main categories of
factors: The Individual, Interactions, Surrounding Resources, and Situations.
In each of the main categories structural factors exist and it appears that
these have been of significant importance to the women in their return to work.
These are presented as Key Factors and they are: clarification of – and the
need for – support in the personal process of change; desire, longing, and
vanity; respectful interactions between the individual and people in her
surroundings; the structure and content of the rehabilitation clinic; the
importance of the perceived reality; and the individual's sense of control
during the work related rehabilitation process. Conclusions: The results mostly revealed phenomena that have been indicated and described in earlier
research studies. However, emotions such as desire, longing and vanity as
motivation and driving forces behind a return to work have not been earlier described.
