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Predictors for return to work after spinal cord injury: a 3-year multicenter analysis
D W Hess1, D L Ripley, W O McKinley
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, VCU/Medical College of Virginia Hospitals, Richmond 23098-0661, USA.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|March 21, 2000
Summary
The Motor Index Score (MIS) and demographic factors accurately predict return to work for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) within three years, achieving nearly 80% accuracy. These predictors highlight the dynamic nature of vocational recovery post-SCI.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Neuroscience
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Spinal cord injury (SCI) significantly impacts an individual's ability to return to work.
- Predicting vocational outcomes is crucial for rehabilitation planning and support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the predictive power of the Motor Index Score (MIS) combined with demographic variables for return to work in SCI individuals.
- To analyze these predictions over a three-year period post-injury.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of prospectively collected data from 1986-1995.
- Inclusion of individuals aged 18-65 employed at injury, evaluated at rehabilitation discharge and 1, 2, and 3 years post-SCI.
- Utilized variables: education, ethnicity, age, marital status, gender, and MIS.
Main Results:
- Key predictors identified: education, MIS, ethnicity, and age at SCI onset.
- High prediction accuracy achieved: 81% at Year 1, 82% at Year 2, and 77% at Year 3.
- Demonstrated the combined predictive capability of MIS and demographic factors.
Conclusions:
- MIS and demographic variables effectively predict return to work after SCI with nearly 80% accuracy.
- Return to work is a dynamic process, with variable importance changing over time.
- This predictive model aids in understanding and supporting vocational rehabilitation post-SCI.