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Factors relating to return to work after burn injury
M Wrigley1, B K Trotman, A Dimick
1University of Alabama at Birmingham, Injury Control Research Center 35294-2041, USA.
The Journal of Burn Care & Rehabilitation
|July 1, 1995
Summary
Pre-injury employment is the strongest predictor of returning to work after a severe burn. Factors like race and self-blame also play a role, challenging previous assumptions about burn severity.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Occupational Health
- Burn Care Research
Background:
- Understanding factors influencing return to work after severe burns is crucial for patient recovery and socioeconomic reintegration.
- Previous research often emphasized burn severity as the primary predictor of work resumption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors associated with the likelihood of employment 12 months post-discharge in individuals with severe burns.
- To re-evaluate the predictive power of pre-injury employment status versus acute care factors.
Main Methods:
- Multivariate analysis was employed to assess 15 variables in 225 individuals with severe burns.
- The study controlled for burn severity and other patient characteristics.
Main Results:
- Four variables significantly increased the probability of returning to work: being white, not self-blaming, receiving workmen's compensation, and pre-injury employment.
- Pre-injury employment was the strongest predictor, making individuals 171 times more likely to return to work.
Conclusions:
- Pre-injury employment status is a more significant predictor of return to work after severe burns than factors within the acute care environment.
- Findings challenge the traditional emphasis on burn severity and highlight the importance of the pre-injury context.