Åsa Andersén , Kjerstin Larsson, Per Lytsy, and Ingrid Anderzén

1. Self-efficacy in women on long term sick leave – the Vitalis project Åsa Andersén, Kjerstin Larsson, Per Lytsy, and Ingrid Anderzén *ArbetsRehab – Center for Rehabilitation and Return to Work, Uppsala University Hospital, and Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden Mail: asa.andersen@pubcare.uu.se Objectives: The overall aim for Vitalis was to develop, provide and evaluate accessible rehabilitation programs to help women on long term sick leave return to work. Vitalis started in Spring 2010 and data collection will be completed in 2013. Method: 401 women on long term sick leave due to pain, stress, depression and/or anxiety symptoms were randomized into one out of three conditions (multimodal team assessment and intervention, acceptance and commitment therapy and treatment as usual). Correlations between self-efficacy and variables as self-reported general health, time of sick leave, social relations, motivation to return to work and view of the future, was analyzed with parametric and non-parametric tests of correlation, and multiple regression. Correlationsbetween self-efficacy and social support, views of the future and health respectively (Sperman´s) Results: Mean age was 49 years (25-64) and mean time for sick leave 7,5 years. Educational level was: elementary school 15 %, high school 34 % and university 25 %. About one fifth of the participating women were born abroad. Self-efficacy was negatively correlated to anxiety and depression. Positive correlations were found between self-efficacy and self-reported general health, social relations, motivation to return to work and view of the future respectively. No significant correlation was found between self-efficacy and time of sick leave. A significant multiple regression model explained 54 % of the variance, with general health and age as significant predictors. Conclusions: Self-efficacywasgenerallylow , and significantlylower for womenbornabroad (Swedish born 2,4 and bornabroad 1,8 respectively). Self-efficacyalsocorrelatedto social support, the individuals’ viewof the future and varioushealthvariables. Self-efficacyneedto be adressed in vocational rehabilitation. The project named Vitalis is carried out in collaboration between the Uppsala University Hospital, the National Insurance Office, the Employment Office in Uppsala, Uppsala County municipalities, Uppsala University and the Organization for financial coordination in Uppsala county, Sweden.