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Language preference and non-traumatic low back disorders in Washington State workers' compensation
David K Bonauto1, Caroline K Smith, Darrin A Adams
1Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention Program, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Olympia, Washington 98504-4330, USA. bone235@lni.wa.gov
Workers with limited English proficiency experienced worse outcomes in Washington State's workers' compensation (WC) system, including higher claim acceptance and costs for low back disorders (LBD). Further research is needed to understand these disparities.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Health Services Research
- Socioeconomic Determinants of Health
Background:
- Workers with limited English proficiency (LEP) face higher risks of hazardous work, leading to increased work-related injuries and poorer disability outcomes in the US.
- Understanding disparities in workers' compensation (WC) is crucial for ensuring equitable access to benefits and care for all injured workers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine differences in employment characteristics, WC benefit utilization, costs, and occupational health outcomes among non-traumatic low back disorder (LBD) claimants based on language preference in Washington State.
- To identify potential disparities in the workers' compensation system experienced by Spanish language preferring (SLP) versus English language preferring (ELP) claimants.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study was conducted using Washington State's WC fund data for non-traumatic low back disorder (LBD) claimants.
- Claimants were categorized by language preference: Spanish language preferring (SLP) and English language preferring (ELP).
- Data analyzed included employment characteristics, timeliness and utilization of WC benefits, costs, and occupational health outcomes.
Main Results:
- Spanish language preferring (SLP) LBD claims had higher acceptance rates and resulted in more lost work time compared to English language preferring (ELP) claims.
- SLP claimants experienced longer durations of time loss, higher medical and total claim costs, and greater utilization of physical therapy and vocational services.
- Employers were more likely to protest SLP claims, though benefit provision timeliness (except for first time loss payment) and permanent partial disability payments were comparable. SLP claimants received less back surgery.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences exist in pre-injury and workers' compensation outcomes for injured workers accessing the Washington State WC system, based on language preference.
- These observed disparities highlight the need for further research to understand and address the underlying causes.
- The findings underscore the importance of language access and culturally competent care within workers' compensation systems.
