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Differences in Modified-Return-to-Work by Immigration Characteristics Among a Cohort of Workers in British Columbia, Canada

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Abstract

Introduction To investigate differences in modified-return-to work (MRTW) within the first 30 days of a work-related, short-term disability injury by immigration characteristics. This question was part of a program of research investigating differences in work and health experiences among immigrant workers and explanations for longer work disability durations. Methods Workers’ compensation claims, immigration records and medical registry data were linked to identify a sample of workers in British Columbia, Canada with a short-term disability claim for a work-related back strain, concussion, limb fracture or connective tissue injury occurring between 2009 and 2015. Multivariable logistic regressions, stratified by injury type, investigated the odds of MRTW, defined as at least one day within the first 30 days on claim, associated with immigration characteristics, defined as a Canadian-born worker versus a worker who immigrated via the economic, family member or refugee/other humanitarian classification. Results Immigrant workers who arrived to Canada as a family member or as a refugee/other immigrant had a reduced odds of MRTW within the first 30 days of work disability for a back strain, concussion and limb fracture, compared to Canadian-born workers. Differences in MRTW were not observed for immigrant workers who arrived to Canada via the economic classification, or for connective tissue injuries. Conclusion The persistent and consistent finding of reduced MRTW for the same injury for different immigration classifications highlights contexts (work, health, social, language) that disadvantage some immigrants upon arrival to Canada and that persist over time even after entry into the workforce, including barriers to MRTW.

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Data Availability

Data was obtained from a third party and are not publicly available. The workers’ compensation, immigration data, and Ministry of Health were made available to the researchers by Population Data BC (www.popdata.bc.ca) with permission from the data stewards. The data was made available for the sole purposes of achieving the research objectives and is not available for sharing.

Notes

  1. Workers could have had MRTW beyond the 30-day window but the purpose of this analyses was focused on MRTW within the critical 30-day window of acute work disability.

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Funding

This research was funded in part by a Project Grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (#378435) that provided operating costs associated with the research activities of data access and analyses. MK was funded in part by a Chair in Gender, Work and Health from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research that provided investigator salary support. CB was funded in part by a Scholar Award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research that provided investigator salary support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada

    Sonja Senthanar, Mieke Koehoorn, Lillian Tamburic & Christopher B. McLeod

  2. School of Labour Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

    Stephanie Premji

  3. Department of Health Sciences, Community and Occupational Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Ute Bültmann

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  1. Sonja Senthanar
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  6. Christopher B. McLeod
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Contributions

MK, SP, UB and CBM conceived the research question and study design. SS and LT lead the data analysis. SS drafted the manuscript, with input and revisions from all study authors. All authors have read and reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Sonja Senthanar.

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Ethical approval was obtained from the Behavioural Research Ethics Board at The University of British Columbia (H17-02078).

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Senthanar, S., Koehoorn, M., Tamburic, L. et al. Differences in Modified-Return-to-Work by Immigration Characteristics Among a Cohort of Workers in British Columbia, Canada. J Occup Rehabil 33, 341–351 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-022-10077-0

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