Improving work and life quality for people with movement disorders

Enhancement of Quality of Work And Life: A Personalised Primary Preventive Work Intervention to Enhance Sustainable Work Participation in Persons With Neurodegenerative Movement Disorders

This study is testing a new support program to see if it can help people with movement disorders like Parkinson's feel better at work and improve their overall quality of life.

Quick facts

• Phase: NA
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 124 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 65 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Radboud University Medical Center (other)
• Locations: 1 site (Nijmegen, Gelderland)
• Trial ID: NCT06573866 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study investigates the effectiveness of a personalized intervention called the Preventive Participatory Workplace Intervention (PPWI) aimed at enhancing sustainable work participation among individuals with progressive movement disorders such as Parkinson's Disease and cerebellar ataxia. The intervention focuses on providing early work-related support to improve quality of life, work-related well-being, and reduce absenteeism. Conducted over 18 months, the study will include 124 participants and will assess various outcomes including perceived self-efficacy and need for recovery after work. Additionally, a cost-effectiveness and process evaluation will be performed alongside the randomized controlled trial.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are employed individuals aged 18-65 with a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, cerebellar ataxia, hereditary spastic paraparesis, or slowly progressive neuromuscular or mitochondrial disorders.

Not a fit: Patients who are at the beginning of a sick leave procedure or are fully self-employed may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could significantly improve the quality of life and work participation for patients with progressive movement disorders.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in similar approaches, but this specific intervention is novel in its focus on work-related support for progressive disorders.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* having a diagnosis Parkinson Disease, cerebellar ataxia, hereditairy spastic paraparesis, or a slowly progressive neuromuscular or mitochondrial disorder, confirmed by the treating physician (e.g. neurologist, rehabilitation physician)
* aged 18-65 years;
* being employed for at least 8 hours per week (at baseline). This also includes individuals who have reduced their working hours until reaching this threshold of 8 hours per week. Working time may be distributed across multiple working days;
* having the intention to continue to work during the study period of 18 months, to prevent inclusion of participants who plan to retire within the 18-month RCT period;
* being open to talk to the employer or manager about any changes or limitations in work performance (disclosing the diagnosis is not required, by law).

Exclusion Criteria:

* individuals who are at the beginning of a sick leave procedure (under the Gatekeeper Improvement Act; Wvp);
* being fully self-employed. Partial self-employment in addition to paid employment is allowed, on the condition that the paid employment accounts for more than half of the total weekly working hours;
* having a second employer for over eight hours per week;
* proficiency in the Dutch language is not sufficient;
* severe comorbidity or health-related event that will hamper compliance to the protocol, e.g. in case of a severe cognitive impairment, a relatively abrupt transition to a very progressive manifestation of the disease, a planned surgery.

Where this trial is running

Nijmegen, Gelderland

• Radboudumc — Nijmegen, Gelderland, Netherlands (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Elbrich Postma, PhD — Radboud University Medical Center
• Study coordinator: Pauline van Barschot

Conditions: Parkinson Disease, Hereditary Spastic Paraparesis, Cerebellar Ataxia, Mitochondrial Diseases, Neuromuscular Diseases, Neurodegenerative disorders, Work, Quality of life