Article

Qualitative research can help to advance our understanding, management
and prevention of work disability. Our aim was to integrate qualitative research
findings in order to increase our understanding of barriers to stay in work with
chronic pain. METHODS: We searched five electronic bibliographic databases until
September 2012, supplemented by citation tracking and hand-searching. We used
meta-ethnography to synthesis our findings. Central to meta-ethnography is
identifying "concepts" and developing a conceptual model. Concepts were compared
and organised into categories. RESULTS: The following categories can have an
impact on the decision to remain in work: struggling to affirm myself as a good
worker; balancing life and work in the face of unpredictable symptoms; my work
colleagues don't believe me; the system does not facilitate return to work; the
battle for legitimacy. CONCLUSIONS: Our innovation is to present an
internationally relevant model based on a conceptual synthesis. This model
highlights the adversarial work experience of people with chronic. The papers
span 15 years of qualitative research. A significant finding is that these themes
continue to pervade the current work environment for those in pain, and this has
clear implications for education, social care and policy. IMPLICATIONS FOR
REHABILITATION: People with chronic pain face an adversarial struggle to maintain
their credibility at work. Strategies to maintain personal credibility can have
an adverse effect on working lives. Changes at a systems level are needed to
facilitate continuance and return to work. Cultural changes in the way that we
view people with pain would help to keep people in work.

Langue : ANGLAIS