Workforce Reintegration After Work-Related Permanent Impairment: A Look at the First Year After Workers' Compensation Claim Closure.
Jeanne M Sears, Beryl A Schulman, Deborah Fulton-Kehoe and 1 others
PMID 32651725WHAT IT FOUND
Workers with permanent impairment face a difficult first year after compensation claims close.
Over half reported their injury made it hard to keep a job, and 13% suffered a new work injury. Those with higher impairment levels had significantly more pain, time off, and medical costs.
Key findings
0158.0% of surveyed workers reported that their permanent impairment made it difficult to keep their job.
0213.4% of workers reported at least one new work injury resulting in missed work during the first year after claim closure.
03Workers with higher impairment (≥10% WBI) had substantially more time-loss days and higher medical costs compared to those with lower impairment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional and descriptive, so it cannot establish causality. 22.2% of eligible workers did not return to work at all, which may bias results toward those who did return. The whole body impairment (WBI) measure was a conservative lower-bound estimate and may have underestimated true impairment levels. Self-reported data may be subject to recall bias. Union membership was unusually high in the sample (42.5%), which may influence job stability and benefits compared to the general workforce.
Declared interests
All authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that return to work equals successful reintegration. Even though 87.6% of respondents were working, many reported significant pain, difficulty keeping jobs, and a high rate of reinjury. A patient being 'back at work' does not mean they are stable or free from functional barriers.