STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, population-based cohort study. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether worker demographic, pain, disability, and psychosocial variables, assessed soon after work-related back pain disability onset, predict 6-month work disability. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Greater age, pain, and physical disability, and certain psychosocial characteristics may be risk factors for prolonged back pain-related work disability, although many studies have been small, findings have been inconsistent, and some psychosocial variables have not been examined prospectively. METHODS: Workers (N = 1,068) completed telephone interviews assessing demographic, pain, disability, and psychosocial variables 18 days (median) after submitting Workers' Compensation back pain disability claims. Administrative measures of work disability 6 months after claim submission were obtained. RESULTS: At 6 months, 196 workers (18.4%) were receiving work disability compensation. Age, race, education, and baseline pain and disability were significant predictors of 6-month disability. Adjusting for baseline demographics, pain, disability, and other psychosocial variables, high work fear-avoidance (odds ratio, 4.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-13.7) and very low recovery expectations (odds ratio, 3.1, 95% confidence interval, 1.5-6.5) were significant independent predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals with acute work-related back pain, high pain and disability, low recovery expectations, and fears that work may increase pain or cause harm are risk factors for chronic work disability.
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, population-based cohort study. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether worker demographic, pain, disability, and psychosocial variables, assessed soon after work-related back pain disability onset, predict 6-month work disability. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Greater age, pain, and physical disability, and certain psychosocial characteristics may be risk factors for prolonged back pain-related work disability, although many studies have been small, findings have been inconsistent, and some psychosocial variables have not been examined prospectively. METHODS: Workers (N = 1,068) completed telephone interviews assessing demographic, pain, disability, and psychosocial variables 18 days (median) after submitting Workers' Compensation back pain disability claims. Administrative measures of work disability 6 months after claim submission were obtained. RESULTS: At 6 months, 196 workers (18.4%) were receiving work disability compensation. Age, race, education, and baseline pain and disability were significant predictors of 6-month disability. Adjusting for baseline demographics, pain, disability, and other psychosocial variables, high work fear-avoidance (odds ratio, 4.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-13.7) and very low recovery expectations (odds ratio, 3.1, 95% confidence interval, 1.5-6.5) were significant independent predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals with acute work-related back pain, high pain and disability, low recovery expectations, and fears that work may increase pain or cause harm are risk factors for chronic work disability.
Authors: Benjamin J Keeney; Judith A Turner; Deborah Fulton-Kehoe; Thomas M Wickizer; Kwun Chuen Gary Chan; Gary M Franklin Journal: Spine (Phila Pa 1976) Date: 2013-01-15 Impact factor: 3.468
Authors: C A M Heitz; R Hilfiker; L M Bachmann; H Joronen; T Lorenz; D Uebelhart; A Klipstein; Florian Brunner Journal: Eur Spine J Date: 2009-06-30 Impact factor: 3.134
Authors: Benjamin J Keeney; Deborah Fulton-Kehoe; Thomas M Wickizer; Judith A Turner; Kwun Chuen Gary Chan; Gary M Franklin Journal: J Occup Environ Med Date: 2013-03 Impact factor: 2.162