Chronic pain often leads to difficulties performing daily life and work activities. Sick-leave rates are high and work activities are valued both by people in general and patients with chronic pain. Therefore, it is important to find efficient ways to support patients to stay at work and return to work. Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs (IPRP) aim to improve work participation for patients with chronic pain. However, results are diverging and it is unclear to what extent work interventions are part of IPRP. 

The overall aim with this thesis was to study work interventions in the context of interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation and identify how it can be improved to better support patients with chronic pain in their return to work (RTW) rehabilitation process. 

Participants were included from IPRPs at both primary and specialist care level in Sweden. Data were collected from focus groups, pair- and individual interviews, questionnaires, and the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation. 

This thesis highlight four important factors to consider when planning and performing work interventions in the context of IPRP: 

• Knowledge and understanding of patients and stakeholders, 
• A RTW rehabilitation plan being anchored between stakeholders 
• Tailored solutions in relation to patient’s needs 
• Collaboration, coordination, and continuity during the RTW rehabilitation process. 

Knowledge and understanding are important as base for solid, concrete, and tailored RTW plans, and for increasing self-efficacy and empowerment of the patients. The RTW plan is a common and important work intervention within IPRP in Sweden. RTW plans need to be more concrete, and include tailored strategies and interventions aimed at the needs of patients. Tailoring interventions also need to consider employment status. In addition, RTW rehabilitation plans should be tightly anchored with stakeholders and followed-up continually during the RTW rehabilitation process. The context of IPRP has potential that should be taken care of, for example when improving knowledge transfer and collaboration. SWEPPE, a new e-health intervention designed to support patients with chronic pain and their employers includes the four factors described above and should be acceptable for users after they complete an IPRP, however, further development of content and identification of patients that best benefit from SWEPPE are needed.