Pieter Coenen

Amsterdam University Medical Center | VUmc · Department of Public and Occupational Health

Background: With the worldwide rising obesity epidemic and the aging population, it is essential to deliver (cost-)effective care that results in enhanced societal participation among knee arthroplasty patients. The purpose of this study is to describe the development, content, and protocol of our (cost-)effectiveness study that assesses a periope...

Background With the worldwide rising obesity epidemic and the aging population, it is essential to deliver (cost-)effective care that results in enhanced societal participation among knee arthroplasty patients. The purpose of this study is to describe the development, content, and protocol of our cost-effectiveness study that assesses a perioperati...

Introduction The number of cancer survivors in a working age is rising. An awareness of factors associated with adverse work outcomes, and of supportive interventions, is needed. Sources of data A narrative review of research obtained via several databases, including Medline and PsycINFO, was conducted. Areas of agreement A range of factors is as...

Mensen met een fysiek zware baan hebben vaak een ongezond bewegingspatroon in hun vrije tijd. In deze studie proberen we te begrijpen welke contextuele factoren deze disbalans in dagelijkse fysieke activiteit beïnvloeden, en verkennen we de mogelijkheden voor leefstijlinterventies die deze disbalans kunnen herstellen. We hebben een contextmapping-s...

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide and has an excessive societal burden. Accumulating evidence has shown that some medical approaches such as imaging in absence of clear indications, medication and some invasive treatments may contribute to the problem rather than alleviating it. Objectives: To determine...

Purpose For employees with a work disability adequate daily guidance from supervisors is key for sustainable employability. Supervisors often lack expertise to guide this group of employees. Mentorwijs (literal translation: Mentorwise) is a training for supervisors to improve the guidance of employees with a work disability. The aim of this study w...

Background In the Netherlands, 1,200 persons are annually diagnosed with a glioma, of whom many are of working age. Studies regarding cancer and work often exclude primary brain tumour patients, due to specific problems these patients may experience. Hence, the aim was to explore the experiences and unmet needs regarding return to work, work retent...

Background Physical activity is a key determinant for health and considered as an important factor in the prevention of lifestyle related-diseases. All physical activity domains are generally considered to be health enhancing. However, accumulating evidence in recent years suggests that occupational physical activity may not have the same beneficia...

Background Low back pain (LBP) is a world leading cause of disability and has substantial impact on individuals and society as a whole. The largest part of the societal burden of LBP is caused by indirect costs, including sick leave. Aims We aimed to describe occupational recovery and associated costs for workers consulting an occupational physici...

Background and purpose: Recommendations concerning the return to daily life activities, including work and sport, after knee arthroplasty (KA) are essential for setting realistic patient expectations. Fulfillment of these expectations contributes to more satisfaction and enhanced recovery after KA. However, scientific evidence for such recommendat...

Purpose Perceived discomfort could indicate an early sign of pain, for example, as a result of a biomechanical load on the musculoskeletal system. Assessing discomfort can, therefore, help to identify workers at increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders for targeted intervention development. We aimed: (1) to identify the optimal cut-off value of...

Purpose: To explore experienced health-and work-related problems of partners of patients with cancer, and their needs for support. Materials and methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Dutch partners of patients with cancer. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed thematically, following the six steps of Braun & Cl...

Purpose Stress-related illnesses are prevalent in Western society, causing sick leave and putting a heavy economic burden on employers and society. For Dutch employers it is particularly relevant to have insight into the costs of absenteeism due to stress-related illness, as they are legally obligated to continue payment of wages. Therefore, this s...

Background This study aimed to quantify the absenteeism costs of knee and hip osteoarthritis in the Netherlands for the Dutch workforce and specific groups of workers. Methods We used a longitudinal, dynamic database from a large occupational health service in which occupational physicians register information about personal information and sick l...

Purpose Interventions to support work participation in cancer survivors (CSs) have shown limited effectiveness. Applying a behavioral change framework (e.g., stages of change) could make work participation interventions for CSs more timely and tailored. We aimed to explore the application of the stages of change framework to work participation supp...

Using a novel approach, this exploratory study investigated whether the physical activity (PA) paradox extends to cardiovascular load and musculoskeletal pain. At baseline, 1–2 days of 24 h heart rate was assessed in 72 workers from construction and healthcare. Workers then reported pain intensity in 9 body regions (scale 0–3) every 6 months for tw...

Introduction: Uniform and multidisciplinary recommendations concerning the return to daily life activities including work and sport after knee arthroplasty (KA) are essential for setting realistic patient expectations. However, scientific evidence for such recommendations is limited, and recommendations are often only based on expert opinions of he...

Objectives We examined the associations of history and duration in high occupational physical activity (OPA) with long-term total and cause-specific mortality. Methods The sample included 322 126 participants (135 254 women) from the National Institutes of Health–AARP Diet and Health Study, established in 1995–1996. History and duration in high OP...

Objectives: Emerging evidence suggests contrasting health effects for leisure-time and occupational physical activity. In this systematic review, we synthesized and described the epidemiological evidence regarding the association between occupational physical activity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Methods: A literature search was p...

The potential of workplace health promotion Unhealthy behaviors (eg, insufficient physical activity, an unhealthy diet, high alcohol intake and smoking) and obesity are risk factors for adverse health outcomes (1, 2), productivity loss due to presenteeism or sickness absence (3–6), and early exit from paid employment (7, 8). Poor health and unhealt...

Background Many cancer survivors experience physical and/or psychosocial problems affecting return to work (RTW) and work retention. Current interventions on RTW lack evidence regarding effectiveness, while interventions for work retention are missing. Partners of cancer survivors may also experience work- and health-related outcomes; yet, these co...

Objectives Although there is evidence that work-related exposures cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there are few quantitative studies assessing the degree to which these factors contribute to PTSD. This systematic review with meta-analysis identified work-related exposures associated with PTSD, and quantified their contribution to this...

Background Although it is generally accepted that physical activity reduces the risk for chronic non-communicable disease and mortality, accumulating evidence suggests that occupational physical activity (OPA) may not confer the same health benefits as leisure time physical activity (LTPA). It is also unclear if workers in high OPA jobs benefit fro...

Study design: case-control study. Objective: Investigate the association between lumbar spine MRI findings and 5-year trajectories of low back pain (LBP) in young Australian adults. Summary of background data: The association between lumbar spine imaging findings and LBP remains unclear due to important limitations of previous research, such a...

Objective: To investigate the costs of low-back pain associated sick leave of workers in the Netherlands from 2015 to 2017. Methods: We used longitudinal data form a large occupational health service regarding sick leave (registered by occupational physicians). Costs of sick leave due to low-back pain were estimated using the human capital appro...

Background Studies suggest that high occupational physical activity increases mortality risk. However, it is unclear whether this association is causal or can be explained by a complex network of socioeconomic and behavioural factors. We aimed to examine the association between occupational physical activity and longevity, taking a complex network...

The aim of the current study was to evaluate whether workplace health promotion programs improve self-perceived health of employees with a low socioeconomic position (SEP), and whether differential effects exist between individuals with a low SEP for gender, marital status or age. Individual participant data from six Dutch intervention studies aimi...

Objective: Effective interventions supporting cancer survivors in work participation are lacking, possibly due to the poor fit between interventions and cancer survivors' needs. The 'Readiness for Return To Work' (RRTW) questionnaire could facilitate intervention development tailored to cancer survivors' needs. We performed a cross-cultural transla...

Objective: Physical activity (PA) has substantial benefits across a range of health outcomes. There is uncertainty about the PA-specific health effects, and in particular, the occupational domain. In this umbrella review, we synthesised available evidence on the associations between occupational PA (OPA) and health-related outcomes (including cance...

Objectives: This study investigated spinal pain-related absenteeism at age 17 as a potential precursor to work presenteeism at age 23. Methods: A longitudinal study was performed with Raine Study Gen2 participants (n = 451). Spinal pain-related absenteeism from school/work was collected at the 17 year follow-up. Presenteeism (due to ill-health o...

Objective: Early access to work-related psychosocial cancer care can contribute to return to work of cancer survivors. We aimed to explore: (a) the extent to which hospital healthcare professionals conduct conversations about work-related issues with cancer survivors, (b) whether cancer survivors experience these conversations as helpful, and (c)...

Background: This individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis aimed to investigate socioeconomic inequalities in effectiveness on healthy behavior of, and compliance to, workplace health promotion programs. Methods: Dutch (randomized) controlled trials were identified and original IPD were retrieved and harmonized. A two-stage meta-analysis was c...

Evidence for recommendations concerning the resumption of activities of daily life, including work and sport, after knee arthroplasty is lacking. Therefore, recommendations vary considerably between hospitals and healthcare professionals. We aimed to obtain multidisciplinary consensus for such recommendations. Using a Delphi procedure, we strived t...

This individual participant data meta‐analysis assessed the effectiveness of workplace health promotion programmes on body mass index (BMI) across socio‐economic groups and whether study and intervention characteristics explained inequalities in effectiveness. Studies were eligible if they assessed the effect of a workplace health promotion program...

Unicompartmental and total knee arthroplasty are well established treatment options, primarily aimed at reducing pain and improving joint function for patients with end-stage knee osteoarthritis. Although most patients receiving knee arthroplasty have good clinical outcomes, core outcome definitions suggest that societal participation after surgery...

Objectives: To examine the mediating role of unhealthy behaviors and body mass index (BMI) in the relation between high physical workload and self-rated health in male construction workers. Methods: Longitudinal data over 2010 to 2018 were used of 30,224 male construction workers in The Netherlands. Smoking, lack of physical activity, and alcoho...

This study aimed to examine prospective associations of mobile touch screen device (i.e. smartphone, tablet) use and patterns of use with musculoskeletal symptoms and visual health among adolescents. A representative sample of 1691 adolescents in Singapore (51% girls; 10–19 years) completed an online questionnaire at baseline and one-year follow-up...

Generally, physical activity (PA) is conceived as among the best investments for a long healthy life and is therefore widely encouraged for the general population. For example, recent PA guidelines for adults recommend at least 150 min a week of moderate-intensity PA or at least 75 min a week of vigorous-intensity PA, without specifying the domain...

Objectives Orthopaedic surgery is primarily aimed at improving function and pain reduction. Additional integrated care may enhance patient’s participation in sports and work, possibly improving performance of physical activities and quality of life (QoL). We aimed to assess the effectiveness of integrated care among orthopaedic surgery patients. D...

Due to the ageing population and the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, it is expected that the demand on informal caregivers will increase. Many informal caregivers experience burden, which can have negative consequences for their own health and that of the care recipient. To prevent caregiver burden, it is important to investigate factors ass...

Aim This study summarised available evidence on the association between early and on-time retirement, compared with continued working, and mortality. Moreover, this study investigated whether and to what extent gender, adjustment for demographics and prior health status influence this association. Methods A systematic literature search of longitud...

Background: The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among sedentary workers is high. Interventions that promote occupational standing or walking have been found to reduce occupational sedentary time, but it is unclear whether these interventions ameliorate musculoskeletal symptoms in sedentary workers. Objectives: To investigate the effective...

Objectives This study aimed to determine the extent of both multimorbidity and work productivity loss among young adults with paid work and to analyze their association. Methods We included 604 participants from a follow-up of the Raine Study that comprised a cohort who were 22 years at the time (Gen2-22). Information on 36 health conditions, group...

Objectives Evidence on the effect of smoking on sickness absence could guide workplace smoking cessation interventions and encourage employers to promote smoking cessation among their employees. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize evidence on the association between smoking and sickness absence and determine whether there ar...

Alternate work positions are being considered as a way to address sedentary behaviour for office workers. This study evaluated the effect of two hours of just-sitting versus sitting while under-desk cycling on musculoskeletal discomfort and cognitive function (sustained attention and creative problem solving). To consider mechanisms, muscle fatigue...

We developed and evaluated calibration models predicting objectively measured sitting, standing and walking time from self-reported data using a compositional data analysis (CoDA) approach. A total of 98 office workers (48 women) at the Swedish Transport Administration participated. At baseline and three-months follow-up, time spent sitting, standi...

Objective Emerging evidence suggests that excessive sitting has negative health effects. However, this evidence largely relies on research using self-reported sitting time, which is known to be biased. To correct this bias, we aimed at developing a calibration model estimating "true" sitting from self-reported sitting. Methods Occupational sitting...

In their recent letter to the Editor of the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, Winkel & Westgaard reflected on our earlier paper (2), where we described a research framework for the development and implementation of interventions preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Winkel & Westgaard argue that interventions de...

Objectives It has often been suggested that screen work (ie, work on desktop, laptop, notebook or tablet computers) is a risk factor for neck and upper extremity symptoms. However, an up-to-date overview and quantification of evidence are lacking. We aimed to systematically review the association of exposure to screen work with neck and upper extre...

Purpose To identify which factors are associated with adverse work outcome 5–10 years after diagnosis. Methods In this cross-sectional study, breast cancer survivors, treated between 2003 and 2008, completed a questionnaire 5–10 years after diagnosis. Adverse work outcome was defined as not having paid employment or working > 20% less compared to...

Introduction Obesity and unhealthy behaviour are more prevalent among workers with a low compared with a high socioeconomic position (SEP), and thus contribute to socioeconomic health inequalities. The occupational setting is considered an important setting to address unhealthy behaviours due to the possibility to efficiently reach a large group of...

Background The use of mobile touch screen devices, e.g. smartphones and tablet computers, has become increasingly prevalent among adolescents. However, little is known about how adolescents use these devices and potential influences on their use. Hence, this qualitative study explored adolescents’ perceptions on their patterns of use and factors in...

Abstract Background Previous research has shown contrasting effects on hypertension for occupational and leisure-time physical behaviors—physical activity and sedentary behavior and time in bed. However, (a) none of these studies have addressed the compositional property of the physical behaviors and (b) most knowledge on the association between do...

This study aimed to describe contemporary technology use, especially smartphones and tablets (mobile touch screen devices), and examine associations with musculoskeletal symptoms and visual health among adolescents in Singapore. A representative sample of 1884 adolescents (50.4% girls) from grades primary 5 to post-secondary (10-18 years old), recr...

Prolonged standing is common in many occupations and has been associated with low back discomfort (LBD). No recent studies have investigated a footrest as an intervention to reduce LBD associated with prolonged standing. This study investigated the effect of a footrest on LBD and sought to determine if LBD changes were accompanied by changes in mus...

Introduction: Socioeconomic health differences have often been described, but remain insufficiently understood. Recent evidence suggests that workers who are high (compared with low) physically active at work are less healthy. Moreover, workers who are highly physically active at work are predominantly physically inactive during leisure time. Thes...

Office workers are exposed to high levels of sedentary time. In addition to cardio-vascular and metabolic health risks, this sedentary time may have musculoskeletal and/or cognitive impacts on office workers. Participants (n = 20) undertook two hours of laboratory-based sitting computer work to investigate changes in discomfort and cognitive functi...

Objective: To investigate whether use of a movement intervention when undertaking prolonged standing affected discomfort and cognitive function. Background: Alternate work positions to break up prolonged sitting for office workers are being trialed, such as standing. Prolonged standing has potential negative health implications, including low ba...

This study aimed to compare thumb kinematics and upper limb muscle activity, and the influence of hand size, when texting on a keypad smartphone and a touchscreen smartphone. Furthermore, the study compared exer-tion, discomfort, and performance when texting on the two phones. The thumb kinematics were tracked using a 3D motion analysis system and...

Objective Recent evidence suggests the existence of a physical activity paradox, with beneficial health outcomes associated with leisure time physical activity, but detrimental health outcomes for those engaging in high level occupational physical activity. This is the first quantitative systematic review of evidence regarding the association betwe...

We examined the association of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) with workplace sitting, standing and stepping time, as well as sitting and standing time accumulation (i.e., usual bout duration of these activities), measured objectively with the activPAL3 monitor. Using baseline data from the Stand Up Victoria trial (216 office workers, 14 workplaces)...

Due to concerns about excessive sedentary exposure for office workers, alternate work positions such as standing are being trialled. However, prolonged standing may have health and productivity impacts, which this study assessed. Twenty adult participants undertook two hours of laboratory-based standing computer work to investigate changes in disco...

Recent studies suggest that while leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) promotes general health, engaging in occupational physical activity (OPA) may have negative health consequences. It has been hypothesized that the different health effects from OPA and LTPA can be explained by differences in physical activity (PA) intensity in these two domains...

Exit from work leads to different effects on health, partially depending on the socioeconomic status (SES) of people in the work exit. Several studies on the effects of exit from work on health across socioeconomic groups have been performed, but results are conflicting. The aim of this review is to systematically review the available evidence rega...

Objectives: Alternative techniques to assess physical exposures, such as prediction models, could facilitate more efficient epidemiological assessments in future large cohort studies examining physical exposures in relation to work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate two types of models that predict arm-wrist-ha...