Discussion
The present study in patients on sick leave for CMDs aimed to compare levels of self-reported symptoms of burnout between a control group receiving TAU and an intervention group receiving a person-centred eHealth intervention in addition to TAU. Our findings showed changes in SMBQ scores over time in both groups. There was no significant difference in SMBQ scores between the groups. However, there was a difference in change over time between the groups. The SMBQ scores for the intervention group decreased significantly more compared to the control group between 0 and 3 months and between 0 and 6 months. No differences in change between the two groups were seen between the 3- and the 6-month follow-ups. Overall, the effect of the intervention should be considered small given that both groups had comparable levels of SMBQ throughout the study period. The cut-off for clinical burnout for the SMBQ is 79 [Previous research has shown that Internet-based interventions are an equivalent alternative to face-to-face treatments [Even though our results showed that the intervention had a limited effect, we cannot rule out that it relieved the symptom burden for some of the participants during the first 3 months. One possible advantage of the eHealth support may have been that the intervention was performed early in the sick leave period. Interventions in the early stages of sick leave have been shown to prevent both deteriorating conditions and long-term sick leave with risks of relapse [The fact that the intervention was administered from a distance may have increased accessibility for patients at risk of social isolation and patients occasionally experiencing resistance to a scheduled time in primary care [Van Dam suggests providing tailored interventions and treatment as patients require different treatment approaches and mental illness prevention strategies [In summary, our results show that the PCC eHealth intervention had a limited effect, but we cannot exclude that it relieved the symptom burden for some participants during the first 3 months and may be a feasible option for some patients. In health care encounters, professionals need to listen carefully to patients’ narratives and acknowledge their unique needs and resources in order to tailor the support based on each patient’s situation [