Predicting return to work following treatment of chronic pain disorder.

BACKGROUND: The care of injured workers with chronic pain remains an important public health issue given its increasing prevalence. The consequences often include loss of self-esteem and stress in family relationships. AIMS: To report our interdisciplinary approach to the care of chronic pain disorder (CPD) and describe the predictors associated with a successful return to work (RTW).
METHODS: Relevant covariates, including demographic data, time from injury, and functional scores were recorded for clients injured at work in Ontario, Canada. Our primary outcome, RTW, was assessed at 3 months post-discharge. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to identify those factors predicting a successful RTW.
RESULTS: Of the injured workers who participated in the interdisciplinary CPD treatment programme, 1002 clients met our inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Fifty-five per cent were male with a mean age of 46 years. Median time from injury to treatment was 720 days. At 3 months post-treatment, 136 (14%) of the participants were working. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that earlier time since injury (OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.55-0.92) and presence of an RTW coordinator (RTWC) (OR = 3.42, 95% CI 2.08-5.63) were significant predictors of successful RTW. There was also a significant interaction between RTWC involvement and time since injury. The latter did not appear to influence the likelihood of RTW when an RTWC was present.
CONCLUSIONS: Workers compensation boards should refer injured workers with CPD to treatment programmes as early as possible to achieve a successful RTW. Additionally, RTWCs play an important role in improving work outcomes.