Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Occupational Medicine Perspective on Behavioral Health Concerns

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Behavioral Health Disability

Abstract

In occupational medicine, the main issue with psychological and psychosocial issues is the treatment of workers with injuries or illness is often attributed to work and thus treated in the workers’ compensation system. Psychosocial problems are more common in workers’ compensation patients than in general medical patients. The same personality traits that make many orthopedic and neurosurgeons good surgeons give them “blinders” to the psychological issues occurring with their workers’ compensation patients. Another barrier to the recognition of psychosocial issues within the workers’ compensation system is the workers’ compensation system itself. When psychosocial factors are delaying or preventing recovery, they must be identified and addressed within the treatment process. In closing, there is a discussion regarding essential strategies to better address many of the problematic issues within the workers’ compensation system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • American Psychiatric Foundation, Partnership for Workplace Mental Health. (2005). Assessing and treating psychiatric occupational disability: New behavioral health functional assessment tools to facilitate return to work. Retrieved September 19, 2009, from http://www.workplacementalhealth.org/pdf/disabilityreportpart1.pdf

  • Aronoff, G. M., Mandel, S., Genovese, E., et al. (2007). Evaluating malingering in contested injury or illness. Pain Practice, 7(2), 178–204.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Atcheson, S., Brunner, R. L., Greenwald, E. J., et al. (2001). Paying doctors more: Use of musculo-skeletal specialists and increased physician pay to decrease workers’ compensation costs. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 43(8), 672–679.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, G. R., Rook, R. T., Nash, C. R., & Coggin, M. R. (2000). The effect of Workers’ Compensation on clinical outcomes of arthroscopic-assisted autogenous patellar tendon anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in an acute population. Arthroscopy, 17(2), 132–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinker, M. R., O’Connor, D. P., Woods, G. W., Pierce, P., & Peck, B. (2002). The effect of payer type on orthopaedic practice expenses. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 84, 1816–1822.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carragee, E. J. (2009). Validity of self-reported history in patients with acute back or neck pain after motor vehicle accidents. The Spine Journal, 8, 311–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dersh, J., Gatchel, R. J., Polatin, P., et al. (2002). Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with chronic work-related musculoskeletal pain disability. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 44, 459–468.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drew, D., Drebing, C. E., Ormer, A. V., et al. (2001). Effects of disability compensation on participation in and outcomes of vocational rehabilitation. Psychiatric Services, 52(11), 1479–1484.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gouttebarge, V., Wind, H., Kuijer, P., & Frings-Dresen, M. H. (2004). Reliability and validity of functional capacity evaluation methods: A systematic review with reference to Blankenship system, Ergos work simulator, Ergo-Kit, and Isernhagen work system. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 77, 527–537.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gross, D. P., & Battié, M. C. (2005). Functional capacity evaluation performance does not predict sustained return to work in claimants with chronic back pain. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 15(3), 285–294.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gross, D. P., & Battié, M. C. (2006). Does functional capacity evaluation predict recovery in workers’ compensation patients with upper extremity disorders? Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 63, 459–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, I., Mulford, J., Solomon, M., van Gelder, J. M., & Young, J. (2005). Association between compensation status and outcome after surgery: A meta-analysis. JAMA, 293, 1644–1652.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoogendoorn, W. E., van Poppel, M. N. M., Bongers, P. M., Koes, B. W., & Bouter, L. M. (2000). Systematic review of psychosocial factors at work and private life as risk factors for back pain. Spine, 25(16), 2114–2125.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Indahl, A., Velund, L., & Reikeraas, O. (1995). Good prognosis for low back pain when left untreated. Spine, 20(4), 473–477.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendall, N. A. S., Burton, A. K., Main, C. J., & Watson, P. J. (2009). Tackling musculoskeletal problems: The psychosocial flags framework – A guide for the London. The Stationery Office. Retrieved from http://www.tsoshop.co.uk/flags.

  • Lees-Haley, P. R., Williams, C. W., & English, L. T. (1996). Response bias in self-reported history of plaintiffs compared with nonlitigating patients. Psychological Reports, 79, 811–818.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lees-Haley, P. R., Williams, C. W., Zasler, N. D., et al. (1997). Response bias in plaintiff’s histories. Brain Injury, 11, 791–799.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Linton, S. J. (2000). A review of psychological risk factors in back and neck pain. Spine, 25(9), 1148–1156.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Main, C. J., & Waddell, G. (1998). Behavioral responses to examination: A reappraisal of the interpretation of “nonorganic signs”. Spine, 23(21), 2367–2371.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Main, C., Wood, P., Hollis, S., Spanswick, C. C., & Waddell, G. (1992). The Distress and Risk Assessment Method. A simple patient classification to identify distress and evaluate the risk of poor outcome. Spine, 17, 42–52.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mobbs, R. J., Gollapudi, P. R., & Chandran, N. K. (2001). Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: Outcome following anterior cervical discectomy in compensation patients. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 8(2), 124–125.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mooney, V., Cairns, D., & Robertson, J. (1976). A system for evaluating and treating chronic back disability. The Western Journal of Medicine, 124, 370–376.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • New Zealand acute low back pain guide. Retrieved August 16, 2008, from http://www.nzgg.org.nz/guidelines/0072/acc1038_col.pdf

  • Oldham, J. M., & Morris, L. B. (1990). Personality self-portrait. New York: Bantam. ISBN 0-553-35336-5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rainville, J., Pransky, G., Indahl, A., et al. (2005). The physician as disability advisor for patients with musculoskeletal complaints. Spine, 30(22), 2579–2584.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ring, D., Kadzielski, J., Fabian, L., et al. (2006). Self reported upper extremity health status correlates with depression. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 88-A(9), 1983–1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ring, D., Kadzielski, J., Malhotra, L., Lee, S.-G. P., & Jupiter, J. B. (2005). Psychological factors associated with idiopathic arm pain. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 87-A(2), 374–380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Talmage, J. B. (2007). Failure to communicate: How terminology and forms confuse the work ability/disability evaluation process. Journal of Insurance Medicine, 39, 192–198.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Talmage, J. B., & Melhorn, J. M. (Eds.). (2005). A physician’s guide to return to work. Chicago, IL: AMA Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Oostrom, S. H., Driessen, M. T., de Vet, H. C. W., et al. (2009). Workplace interventions for preventing work disability. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 2, Art. No.: CD006955. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006955.pub2

  • Vranceanu, A. M., Barsky, A., & Ring, D. (2009). Psychosocial aspects of disabling musculoskeletal pain. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 91(8), 2014–2018.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Waddell, G. (2004). The back pain revolution (2nd ed.). Edinburgh, UK: Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 0-4430-7227-2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waddell, G., & Burton, A. K. (2006). Is work good for your health and well-being? London, UK: The Stationery Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waddell, G., Somerville, D., Henderson, I., et al. (1993). A Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) and the role of fear-avoidance beliefs in chronic low back pain and disability. Pain, 52, 157–168.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Occupational Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, USA

    James B. Talmage

Authors
  1. James B. Talmage
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to James B. Talmage .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Carle Physician Group, Urbana, 61801-2302, Illinois, USA

    Pamela A. Warren

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Talmage, J.B. (2010). The Occupational Medicine Perspective on Behavioral Health Concerns. In: Warren, P. (eds) Behavioral Health Disability. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09814-2_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09814-2_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-09813-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-09814-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation