Jeanne M Sears1,2,3,4, Deborah Fulton-Kehoe2, Sheilah Hogg-Johnson4,5,6. 1. Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. 2. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. 3. Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA. 4. Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 5. Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 6. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Roughly 10% of injured workers experience work injuries that result in permanent impairment and a permanent partial disability (PPD) award. This study aimed to characterize and quantify long-term employment outcomes for injured workers, by the degree of whole body impairment (WBI) and by participation in several workers' compensation (WC)-based return-to-work (RTW) programs. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 43,968 Washington State workers were followed for up to 10 years after WC claim closure (2009-2017). Degree of impairment was classified as: (1) no PPD award, (2) PPD award with WBI < 10%, or (3) PPD award with WBI ≥ 10%. State wage files were used to construct employment outcomes for regression, modeling: (1) time to first RTW, (2) time to first RTW interruption, (3) RTW volatility, and (4) employment gaps. RESULTS: Wage patterns and employment outcomes differed significantly by the degree of impairment. Compared to other workers, workers with WBI ≥ 10% had delayed RTW, shorter average times to first RTW interruption, and higher rates of both RTW interruptions and quarters without wages. Time to first RTW averaged over a year, increasing with the degree of impairment. About 9% overall-and 27% of workers with ≥10% WBI-had no observed wages after claim closure. In adjusted models, workers with WBI ≥ 10% had significantly poorer employment outcomes, compared to workers with no PPD award (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: State wage files provide an efficient approach to identifying RTW patterns. Workers with permanent impairment were at substantially higher risk of poor employment outcomes. WC-based RTW programs may promote better employment outcomes.
BACKGROUND: Roughly 10% of injured workers experience work injuries that result in permanent impairment and a permanent partial disability (PPD) award. This study aimed to characterize and quantify long-term employment outcomes for injured workers, by the degree of whole body impairment (WBI) and by participation in several workers' compensation (WC)-based return-to-work (RTW) programs. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 43,968 Washington State workers were followed for up to 10 years after WC claim closure (2009-2017). Degree of impairment was classified as: (1) no PPD award, (2) PPD award with WBI < 10%, or (3) PPD award with WBI ≥ 10%. State wage files were used to construct employment outcomes for regression, modeling: (1) time to first RTW, (2) time to first RTW interruption, (3) RTW volatility, and (4) employment gaps. RESULTS: Wage patterns and employment outcomes differed significantly by the degree of impairment. Compared to other workers, workers with WBI ≥ 10% had delayed RTW, shorter average times to first RTW interruption, and higher rates of both RTW interruptions and quarters without wages. Time to first RTW averaged over a year, increasing with the degree of impairment. About 9% overall-and 27% of workers with ≥10% WBI-had no observed wages after claim closure. In adjusted models, workers with WBI ≥ 10% had significantly poorer employment outcomes, compared to workers with no PPD award (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: State wage files provide an efficient approach to identifying RTW patterns. Workers with permanent impairment were at substantially higher risk of poor employment outcomes. WC-based RTW programs may promote better employment outcomes.
Authors: Kenneth A Scott; Qing Liao; Gwenith G Fisher; Lorann Stallones; Carolyn DiGuiseppi; Emile Tompa Journal: Am J Ind Med Date: 2018-02-05 Impact factor: 2.214
Authors: Jeanne M Sears; Amy T Edmonds; Peggy A Hannon; Beryl A Schulman; Deborah Fulton-Kehoe Journal: Workplace Health Saf Date: 2022-04-06 Impact factor: 2.338