Factors affecting return to work following facial trauma

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Occupational Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Work absence due to injury significantly impacts individuals and the economy.
• Facial injuries represent a substantial cause of work-related disability.
• Understanding return-to-work dynamics is crucial for patient recovery and workforce participation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the rate and timeframe for facially injured patients' return to employment.
• To identify pre-injury and injury-related factors influencing return to work outcomes.
• To inform clinical practice and support strategies for affected individuals.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving 714 facially injured patients over 12 months.
• Assessment of time (in days) to return to employment as the primary outcome.
• Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses of 16 pre-identified variables.

Main Results:

• Median time to return to work was 15 days (mean 19 days) for 480 eligible patients.
• Significant factors affecting return to employment included sex, operation status, income, cause, work-related accident, concomitant injuries, and number of facial fractures.
• Overall return-to-work rates were high: 80% at 30 days and 96% at 12 months.

Conclusions:

• Facially injured patients demonstrate a robust return-to-work rate.
• Early identification of patients at risk for poor return-to-work outcomes is essential.
• Targeted support and referral to allied health services can optimize employment recovery.