Cost effectiveness of an occupational physical therapy programme on primary and secondary prevention of low back pain: economic evaluation alongside a cluster randomised controlled trial

INTERVENTION: The physical therapy programme consists of an integrated approach of a primary prevention programme, including counselling and ergonomic training of working techniques/skills tailored for each company?s specific work‐site aimed at preventing back complaints, and a secondary prevention programme that consisted of a quick intervention with easy accessible in‐company physical therapy in the origin of (absenteeism due to) back complaints. Usual care is provided by the general practitioner or occupational physician according to Dutch health care guidelines. CONDITION: Low back pain (LBP) ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; Back pain PRIMARY OUTCOME: The primary outcome measure is the occurrence and duration of LBP and subsequent sickness absence. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Secondary outcome measures are pain intensity, functional disability due to low back pain complaints, general health and quality of life. The economic evaluation is conducted from a societal perspective and includes both direct and indirect costs due to LBP. INCLUSION CRITERIA: The study population is recruited from companies throughout the Netherlands. Companies who want to take up the programme from the occupational health consultancy that executes the intervention under study within a year are asked to participate in the study. Inclusion criteria for companies are: 1. Willingness to participate in the study 2. The possibility of forming a control group within the same company with workers with approximately the same physically demanding jobs and high prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints 3. Willingness to concur with randomisation of the intervention and study protocol. Inclusion criteria for workers: All workers in the work units of these companies who are working at least 3 days per week, are willing to comply with the research protocol and follow‐up measurements are asked to participate in the study.