the impact of an internet intervention nieke elbers achrf 2012

Empowerment of personal injury victims

The impact of an internet intervention:

A study from the Netherlands

Nieke Elbers

Arno Akkermans

Pim Cuijpers

David Bruinvels

Empowerment of personal injury victims

Outline:

1. Background

2. Website

3. Method

4. Results

5. Discussion

6. Take home message

Empowerment of personal injury victims

0

Well-being

Time

Injured people

Injured claimants

1. Background

Empowerment of personal injury victims

1. Background

• Secondary gain

Monetary incentive not to get better as long as compensation process lasts

• Secondary victimization

Distress because of compensation process or attitudes of legal professionals

Empowerment of personal injury victims

2. Website

Content e-health website:

1) Information

2) E-coach

3) Frequently asked questions

Empowerment of personal injury victims

2. Website

Information module:

– Compensation process

– Lawyer

– Insurance company

– Social security

– Conflict resolution

Assessment of liability

Assessment of earning capacity & rehabilitation

Assessment of damages

Medical assessment

Empowerment of personal injury victims

2. Website

E-coach module:

–Problem Solving Therapy

–Evidence based

–5 weekly lessons

–Reading, examples, assignments

–Feedback

Simon

Kate

Mark

Empowerment of personal injury victims

2. Website

Validation:

–Focus group

5 insurers(defendants)

6 lawyers (plaintiffs)

–Pilot

8 traffic accident victims

Empowerment of personal injury victims

3. Method

176 traffic accident victims

1 year

Selection bias?

Empowerment of personal injury victims

Questionnaires:

Empowerment Self-efficacy Well-being

Perceived justice

Procedure Interaction Information Outcome

Work ability

Knowledge

Communication

Empowerment of personal injury victims

Questionnaires

Empowerment = Self-efficacy = Well-being =

Perceived justice

Procedure = Interaction =

Information

=

Outcome > Work ability =

Knowledge =

Communication =

Empowerment of personal injury victims

5. Discussion

Lack of website usage?

65%

Information module:

Once or twice 10 page views 9 minutes

E-coach module:

n = 1

35%

Website evaluation was good

Empowerment of personal injury victims

5. Discussion

Other explanations:

- Legal professionals may also need empowerment

- Claimants may not want to get better

Empowerment of personal injury victims

6. Take home message

• Researchers Conduct more research on how to improve well-being

• Legal professionals Provide adequate information on damages

• Clinical practitioners Ask about involvement in compensation & provide support

Empowerment of personal injury victims

Thank you

Nieke Elbers

n.elbers@vu.nl