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Is disability underreported following work injury?
Bradley Evanoff1, Sakena Abedin, Deborah Grayson
1Division of General Medical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8005, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. bevanoff@im.wustl.edu
Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation
|September 17, 2002
Summary
Occupational injury data often underreports the full impact. Many workers experience persistent functional limitations and reinjury after returning to work, indicating a significant underestimation of lost time.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- National data may underestimate the true burden of occupational injuries and illnesses.
- Assessing persistent disability after returning to work is crucial for understanding the full impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide more complete reporting of occupational injuries and illnesses.
- To assess persistent disability and functional limitations following return to work.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 205 workers with musculoskeletal injuries from three employers.
- Collected data on work status and functional limitations via administrative records, medical records, and interviews at baseline and 6 months.
Main Results:
- Many workers reported ongoing difficulties functioning at work post-return.
- Health-related quality of life improved, but pain and physical functioning scores remained below national averages.
- 16% of workers experienced reinjury within a year; persistent functional limitations were common at 6 months.
Conclusions:
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) logs may accurately capture initial time-loss episodes.
- Existing reporting methods likely under-represent the total magnitude of lost time and disability following work-related injuries.