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Unexpected barriers in return to work: lessons learned from injured worker peer support groups
E MacEachen1, A Kosny, S Ferrier
1Institute for Work & Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. emaceachen@iwh.on.ca
Work (Reading, Mass.)
|August 30, 2007
Summary
Injured workers face prolonged absences due to systemic barriers. Peer support groups offer crucial aid, highlighting the need for better return-to-work system sensitivity to social and structural issues for improved outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Sociology of Work
Background:
- Prolonged work absences among injured workers represent a significant cost to return-to-work systems.
- Systemic and compliance-related barriers impede the return-to-work process for many injured individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the experiences of injured workers facing prolonged absences.
- To identify the systemic and compliance-related barriers encountered during return-to-work.
- To understand the role and impact of peer support groups for injured workers.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative interview-based study.
- Conducted with 37 members from three injured worker peer support groups in a Canadian province.
Main Results:
- Four key dimensions of peer support were identified: feeling misunderstood by system providers, the need for advocates, social support, and assistance with procedural complexities.
- Injured workers perceive an uneven playing field in the return-to-work process.
- Peer support is a partial solution but does not fully address systemic challenges.
Conclusions:
- Peer support groups provide essential services for injured workers navigating complex systems.
- Addressing structural and social issues is crucial for enhancing return-to-work outcomes.
- Greater sensitivity to injured workers' experiences and systemic barriers can improve rehabilitation and reintegration into the workforce.
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