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Prospective Analysis of Factors Associated with Work Reentry in Patients with Accident-Related Injuries

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Abstract

Introduction: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of accidents, the physical and psychological consequences, the patient’s predisposition as well as work-related cognitions on return to work (RTW) post accident. Despite the costs of time-off from work after accidental injuries, very few investigations have been carried out so far. Method: In a consecutive sample, 163 patients were investigated directly and 12 months after an accident. Results: 32% of the patients had a poor occupational integration 12 months after an accident. As predictors for return to work were found type of prior work: laborer (OR=4.34; 1.79–10.50 CI 95%), type of accident: recreational (OR=0.27; 0.11–0.69 CI 95%) and subjective perception of the accident severity (OR=0.98; 0.96–0.99 CI 95%). Conclusion: Laborers after a traffic or work accident, who estimate the accident as severe, are at greater risk of developping long-term disability. Future efforts should be conducted especially for this target group.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Federation of German Pension Insurance (project number: FKZ 02210). Parts of the results had been presented at “The 9th European Conference on Traumatic Stress,” Stockholm, Sweden, June 18–21, 2005.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Muenster, Domagkstr. 22, 48149, Muenster, Germany

    Corinna Lange, Markus Burgmer, Michael Braunheim & Gereon Heuft

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  1. Corinna Lange
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  2. Markus Burgmer
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  3. Michael Braunheim
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  4. Gereon Heuft
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Correspondence to Corinna Lange.

Additional information

Corinna Lange and Markus Burgmer contributed equally to the present work and should therefore both be considered as first authors.

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Lange, C., Burgmer, M., Braunheim, M. et al. Prospective Analysis of Factors Associated with Work Reentry in Patients with Accident-Related Injuries. J Occup Rehabil 17, 1–10 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-006-9039-y

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