BACKGROUND: Injuries are common and make a significant contribution to sickness absence, but little is known about problems experienced by injured people on return to work (RTW). AIM: To quantify work problems on RTW and explore predictors of such problems. DESIGN & SETTING: Multicentre longitudinal study in four UK hospitals. METHOD: Prospective study of injured participants aged 16-65 years who were employed or self-employed prior to the injury and had RTW at 1 or 4 months post injury. RESULTS: At 1 month, most (59%) had only made a partial RTW. By 4 months, 80% had fully RTW. Those who had partially RTW had problems related to physical tasks (work limited for median of 25% of time at 1 month, 18% at 4 months), time management (10% at 1 month, 20% at 4 months) and output demands (10% at 1 month, 15% at 4 months). Productivity losses were significantly greater among those with partial than full RTW at 1 month (median 3.3% versus 0.9%, P<0.001) and 4 months (median 4.6% versus 1.1% P = 0.03). Moderate/severe injuries (relative risk [RR] 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.35 to 2.77) and sports injuries (RR 1.73, 95% CI = 1.12 to 2.67) were associated with significantly greater productivity losses at 1 month while pre-existing long-term illnesses (RR 2.12, 95% CI = 1.38 to 3.27) and upper limb injuries (RR 1.64, 95% CI = 1.06 to 2.53) were at 4 months. CONCLUSION: Injuries impact on successful RTW for at least 4 months. Those who have only partially RTW experience the most problems and GPs should pay particular attention to identifying work problems in this group and ways of minimising such problems.
BACKGROUND: Injuries are common and make a significant contribution to sickness absence, but little is known about problems experienced by injured people on return to work (RTW). AIM: To quantify work problems on RTW and explore predictors of such problems. DESIGN & SETTING: Multicentre longitudinal study in four UK hospitals. METHOD: Prospective study of injured participants aged 16-65 years who were employed or self-employed prior to the injury and had RTW at 1 or 4 months post injury. RESULTS: At 1 month, most (59%) had only made a partial RTW. By 4 months, 80% had fully RTW. Those who had partially RTW had problems related to physical tasks (work limited for median of 25% of time at 1 month, 18% at 4 months), time management (10% at 1 month, 20% at 4 months) and output demands (10% at 1 month, 15% at 4 months). Productivity losses were significantly greater among those with partial than full RTW at 1 month (median 3.3% versus 0.9%, P<0.001) and 4 months (median 4.6% versus 1.1% P = 0.03). Moderate/severe injuries (relative risk [RR] 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.35 to 2.77) and sports injuries (RR 1.73, 95% CI = 1.12 to 2.67) were associated with significantly greater productivity losses at 1 month while pre-existing long-term illnesses (RR 2.12, 95% CI = 1.38 to 3.27) and upper limb injuries (RR 1.64, 95% CI = 1.06 to 2.53) were at 4 months. CONCLUSION: Injuries impact on successful RTW for at least 4 months. Those who have only partially RTW experience the most problems and GPs should pay particular attention to identifying work problems in this group and ways of minimising such problems.
Authors: Ellen J MacKenzie; Michael J Bosse; Andrew N Pollak; Lawrence X Webb; Marc F Swiontkowski; James F Kellam; Douglas G Smith; Roy W Sanders; Alan L Jones; Adam J Starr; Mark P McAndrew; Brendan M Patterson; Andrew R Burgess; Renan C Castillo Journal: J Bone Joint Surg Am Date: 2005-08 Impact factor: 5.284
Authors: Ellen J MacKenzie; Michael J Bosse; James F Kellam; Andrew N Pollak; Lawrence X Webb; Marc F Swiontkowski; Douglas G Smith; Roy W Sanders; Alan L Jones; Adam J Starr; Mark P McAndrew; Brendan M Patterson; Andrew R Burgess; Thomas Travison; Renan C Castillo Journal: J Trauma Date: 2006-09
Authors: Ronan A Lyons; Denise Kendrick; Elizabeth M Towner; Nicola Christie; Steven Macey; Carol Coupland; Belinda J Gabbe Journal: PLoS Med Date: 2011-12-06 Impact factor: 11.069
Authors: Frank Mo; Ineke C Neutel; Howard Morrison; Doug Hopkins; Caroline Da Silva; Ying Jiang Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2013-03-13 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Mélanie Bérubé; Céline Gélinas; Nancy Feeley; Géraldine Martorella; José Côté; G Yves Laflamme; Dominique M Rouleau; Manon Choinière Journal: JMIR Form Res Date: 2018-04-30