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Disability: a new psychosocial perspective
1University of Louisville School of Medicine, Kentucky.
Journal of Occupational Medicine. : Official Publication of the Industrial Medical Association
|August 1, 1993
Summary
A patient's subsequent disability may be influenced by having a disabled family member. This study found a significant correlation between a "disabled" support system and a patient's own disability, impacting workers' compensation claims.
Area of Science:
- Occupational medicine
- Psychosocial determinants of health
- Disability studies
Background:
- Workers' compensation cases often involve complex psychosocial factors.
- The influence of family members' health status on patient outcomes is increasingly recognized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between a family member's disability and a patient's subsequent disability.
- To explore psychosocial determinants in patients seeking workers' compensation.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-three patients with upper extremity disabilities seeking workers' compensation were surveyed.
- Data collected included the presence of disabled family members and personal injury history.
- Objective medical impairments were also assessed.
Main Results:
- 44 out of 83 patients had at least one disabled family member.
- 36 patients had a history of traumatic injury related to workers' compensation.
- A significant correlation (P < .001) was found between a "disabled" support system and patient disability.
Conclusions:
- The presence of a disabled family member may act as a psychosocial determinant for a patient's disability.
- This finding has implications for understanding disability claims and support systems within the workers' compensation framework.