Health status, work limitations, and return-to-work trajectories in injured workers with musculoskeletal disorders

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe the health status and work limitations in injured workers with musculoskeletal disorders at 1 month post-injury, stratified by return-to-work status, and to document their return-to-work trajectories 6 months post-injury.

Methods: A sample of 632 workers with a back or upper extremity musculoskeletal disorder, who filed a Workplace Safety and Insurance Board lost-time claim injury, participated in this prospective study. Participants were assessed at baseline (1 month post-injury) and at 6 months follow-up.

Results: One month post-injury, poor physical health, high levels of depressive symptoms and high work limitations are prevalent in workers, including in those with a sustained first return to work. Workers with a sustained first return to work report a better health status and fewer work limitations than those who experienced a recurrence of work absence or who never returned to work. Six months post-injury, the rate of recurrence of work absence in the trajectories of injured workers who have made at least one return to work attempt is high (38%), including the rate for workers with an initial sustained first return to work (27%).

Conclusions: There are return-to-work status specific health outcomes in injured workers. A sustained first return to work is not equivalent to a complete recovery from musculoskeletal disorders.

Fig. 1

Recruitment procedure and flow of participants

Fig. 2

Return-to-work trajectories based on self-reported return-to-work status at baseline (1 month post-injury) and 6-month follow-up (n = 439). ^aRTW-S, sustained first return to work; ^bRTW-R working, return to work with recurrence(s) of work absence and working at time of interview; ^cRTW-R not working, return to work with recurrence(s) of work absence and not working at time of interview; ^dNo RTW, no return to work