This research is a natural extension of our previous studies on Work Disability (WD), which led to the development of a novel intervention to help people with inflammatory arthritis maintain employment. This unique program, called Making it Work TM , was created to improve an aspect of disease management that is too often ignored by health care professionals – the management of employment issues. It fills an important gap in the health care services available for people with arthritis, and has a great potential for improving quality of life and reducing the large indirect cost of arthritis. We have converted our self-management program into a web-based program so that the benefits can be offered to a larger number of people with rheumatoid arthritis.

For the program to be implemented widely, further testing has been necessary to demonstrate its effectiveness at preventing work cessation and improving at-work productivity loss. In this study, we have used a randomized controlled trial design to test the effectiveness and cost-utility of our web-based program compared to a control group receiving usual care.

Our program is unique worldwide in that it combines the benefits of video conferencing group sessions focused on improving self-management, with assessments by health professionals specifically addressing employment. The web-based technology for delivery of the program is at the leading edge of trends in the field of adult education and self-management. This research is one of few initiatives worldwide to develop and test the effectiveness of interventions specifically targeted at employment. In this age of evidence-based health care delivery, the highest level of evidence, provided by a randomized control-led trial (RCT), has been needed for our research to translate into a new service offered to people with arthritis.