Predicting Return to Work After Serious Accidental Injuries
Author Information
Author(s): Urs Hepp, Hanspeter Moergeli, Stefan Buchi, Helke Bruchhaus-Steinert, Tom Sensky, Ulrich Schnyder
Primary Institution: Psychiatrische Dienste Aargau AG, Baden, Switzerland
Hypothesis
The patients' appraisal of injury severity and coping abilities will predict return to work three years post-accident.
Conclusion
Patients' self-reported appraisals of injury severity and coping abilities are significant predictors of time off work even three years after an accident.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients' appraisals of injury severity and coping abilities were significant predictors of sick-leave days.
- Injury severity and type of accident did not significantly predict return to work.
- The study found that psychosocial factors are increasingly recognized as important for return to work.
Takeaway
If someone gets hurt badly, how they feel about their injury and their ability to handle it can help predict when they'll be able to go back to work.
Methodology
121 severely injured patients were followed up at 1 and 3 years post-accident, assessing their appraisals of injury severity and coping abilities.
Potential Biases
Exclusion of patients with pre-existing conditions may have biased the sample towards those less likely to have prolonged sick leave.
Limitations
The study only included severely injured patients, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
{"mean_age":37.7,"gender_distribution":{"male":67,"female":18},"marital_status":{"single":34,"married":38,"divorced":13}}
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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