Development of a Job Retention Vocational Rehabilitation Intervention for People with Multiple Sclerosis Following the Person-Based Approach

De Dios Pérez, Blanca; das Nair, Roshan; Radford, Kathryn

Abstract

Objective
To describe the process of developing a job retention vocational rehabilitation intervention for people with multiple sclerosis.

Design
We used the person-based approach, to develop interventions through an iterative process incorporating stakeholders’ views, resulting in an intervention that is likely to be more acceptable, contextually relevant, and implementable for end-users. Phase 1 combined the results of a systematic review and interview study to develop the guiding principles and intervention logic model. Phase 2 involved conceptual testing and refining the intervention with stakeholder feedback. We present the final intervention following the template for intervention description and replication.

Participants
We recruited 20 participants for Phase 1 (10 people with multiple sclerosis, four employers, six healthcare professionals), and 10 stakeholders (three people with multiple sclerosis, seven healthcare professionals) for Phase 2 to contribute to the intervention refinement process.

Results
Stakeholders described the need for an individually tailored intervention to support people with multiple sclerosis to manage symptoms and workplace relationships. A stepped-care approach and remote support were deemed essential. The resulting intervention involves an initial assessment of employment needs, vocational goal setting, up to 10 h of tailored support (e.g., reasonable adjustments, employer engagement, legal rights), and a final review to discuss future steps. People with multiple sclerosis can include their employer for advice to optimise the management of the employee with multiple sclerosis at work.

Conclusion
The person-based approach provided a rigorous framework to systematically understand the vocational needs of people with multiple sclerosis and develop a vocational rehabilitation intervention.

Citation

De Dios Pérez, B., das Nair, R., & Radford, K. (2024). Development of a Job Retention Vocational Rehabilitation Intervention for People with Multiple Sclerosis Following the Person-Based Approach. Clinical Rehabilitation, 38(7), 965-978. https://doi.org/10.1177/02692155241235956

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 12, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Feb 28, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-07
• Deposit Date: Feb 29, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 5, 2024
• Journal: Clinical Rehabilitation
• Print ISSN: 0269-2155
• Electronic ISSN: 1477-0873
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 38
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 965-978
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/02692155241235956
• Keywords: vocational rehabilitation, multiple sclerosis, job retention, intervention development, person-Based approach, complex intervention
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/31892588
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/02692155241235956