Opportunities and Challenges in the Care of Patients with Somatic Complaints and Patients with Additional Work-Related Anxiety—A Mixed Methods Study

Background: Work-related anxiety can result in prolonged work incapacity and reduce return-to-work probabilities. Despite the prevalence of work-related anxiety in somatic rehabilitation settings, there has been little research examining the experiences of affected patients from a public health perspective. This research project aims to address this gap by providing initial insights into the care provided to patients with somatic complaints and patients with additional work-related anxiety. Methods: A sequential mixed methods approach was employed, beginning with semi-structured interviews (2022, n = 18 orthopedic rehabilitation patients), followed by questionnaire distribution (2023, n = 53). Qualitative analysis distinguished between patients with higher (JA) and lower (nJA) Job Anxiety Scale scores (cut-off 2.5). Results: The findings highlight notable differences between JA and nJA patients. JA patients often report that they face unmet psychological needs, limited work-related treatment focus, financial barriers, and inadequate occupational support, relying more on self-initiative for reliable information. In contrast, nJA patients appear to benefit from stronger social networks, stable financial resources, and improved access to healthcare. Both groups report mixed experiences with workplace support. For professionals the findings underline that JA patients are specifically in need of work-related interventions, even patients themselves remind about this. Conclusions: The findings illustrate significant differences between JA and nJA patients in terms of their experiences, challenges, and support needs within healthcare, workplace, and rehabilitation contexts. While qualitatively insightful, these findings are pilot and explorative and warrant further research. Trial registration: DRKS00029004 (25 May 2022).