Purpose of the study: To determine the results three to four years after a multidisciplinary programme for people with long-standing absenteeism due to chronic back pain, a longitudinal prospective cohort study was carried out.

Method: A population of 143 consecutive clients who participated in 1996 in a “back to work” programme in the Rug Advies Centra, the Netherlands, was interviewed early in 2000 by telephone and using written questionnaires relating to the current work status, pain intensity, perceived disability and symptoms. The same questionnaires had been administered at the start of the programme and six months later. Differences across the three scores were tested in a multivariate design for repeated measures. The study population had taken part in earlier studies on the predictive value of the pre-intervention assessment1 and on the results relating to workstatus, pain intensity, perceived disability and symptoms after six months2.

Results: The response rate was 92% (N=130). Of these, 11% did not work at all or worked a decreased number of hours per day due to back pain. At six months follow up, this figure was 13%. Of the ones who responded, 7% did not work at all at the time of interview or worked a decreased number of hours due to other symptoms. The average level of pain, disability and symptoms was lower compared to the status before entering the intervention programme (p < .001).

Conclusion: The percentage of people who returned to work and stayed at work after a multidisciplinary programme remained stable over a period of three to four years. The results are good and about the same as the results after six months in terms of work status, pain intensity and symptoms.