Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Are the Predictors of Work Absence Following a Work-Related Injury Similar for Musculoskeletal and Mental Health Claims?

  • Published:
Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective To examine if the factors associated with days of absence following a work-related injury are similar for mental health versus musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. Methods A secondary analysis of wage replacement workers’ compensation claims in the state of Victoria, Australia. We examined the relationship between individual, injury, occupational and workplace variables with days of wage replacement over the 2-year period following first day of absence from work separately for mental health claims and MSK claims using negative binomial regression models. Results Mental health conditions were associated with a greater number of days of absence over the 2 years following first incapacity compared to MSK conditions. Differences were observed in employment, injury and industry variables on absence from work for mental claims compared to MSK claims. Working in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining industries and employment with a small organisation were more strongly associated with the number of days of wage-replacement among MSK compared to mental health claims, and working in the public administration and safety, or education and training industries or being employed in a position with high time pressure were associated with greater days of wage-replacement among mental health compared to MSK claims. Conclusions Predictors of days away from work in the 2 years following an injury differ for mental health versus MSK claims. Given the increasing number of mental health claims in Australia more research is required to understand differences in return-to-work for this group of claimants compared to those with physical injuries.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Franche RL, Baril R, Shaw W, Nicholas M, Loisel P. Workplace-based return-to-work interventions: optimizing the role of stakeholders in implementation and research. J Occup Rehabil. 2005;15(4):525–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Loisel P, Buchbinder R, Hazard R, Keller R, Scheel I, van Tulder M, et al. Prevention of work disability due to musculoskeletal disorders: the challenge of implementing evidence. J Occup Rehabil. 2005;15(4):507–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Shaw WS, Linton SJ, Pransky G. Reducing sickness absence from work due to low back pain: how well do intervention strategies match modifiable risk factors? J Occup Rehabil. 2006;16(4):591–605.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Schultz IZ, Stowell AW, Feuerstein M, Gatchel RJ. Models of return to work for musculoskeletal disorders. J Occup Rehabil. 2007;17:327–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Steenstra IA, Verbeek JH, Heymans MW, Bongers PM. Prognostic factors for duration of sick leave in patients sick listed with acute low back pain: a systematic review of the literature. Occup Environ Med. 2005;62(12):851–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Laisne F, Lecomte C, Corbiere M. Biopsychosocial predictors of prognosis in musculoskeletal disorders: a systematic review of the literature. Disabil Rehabil. 2012;34(5):355–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Iles RA, Davidson M, Taylor NF. Psychosocial predictors of failure to return to work in non-chronic non-specific low back pain: a systematic review. Occup Environ Med. 2008;65(8):507–17.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Comcare. Comcare submission to the public hearing on mental health: House standing committee on education and employment inquiry into mental health and workplace participation. Canberra: Comcare, Federal Government 2011.

  9. WorkSafe Victoria. Statistical summary. WorkSafe Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria. 2010. http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/forms-and-publications/forms-and-publications/statistical-summary. Accessed 28 Aug 2012.

  10. Lippel K. Law, public policy and mental health in the workplace. Healthcare Papers. 2010.

  11. Government of British Columbia. Bill 14—Mental disorder legislation. In: WorkSafeBC, editor. Vancouver, BC 2011.

  12. Cornelius LR, van der Klink JJ, Groothoff JW, Brouwer S. Prognostic factors of long terms disability due to mental disorders: a systematic review. J Occup Rehabil. 2011;21:259–74.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Brouwer S, Reneman MF, Bultmann U, van der Klink JJ, Groothoff JW. A prospective study of return to work across health conditions: perceived work attitude, self-efficacy and perceived social support. J Occup Rehabil. 2010;20:104–12.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Wahlin C, Ekberg K, Persson J, Bernfort L, Oberg B. Association between clinical and work-related interventions and return-to-work for patients with musculoskeletal or mental disorders. J Rehabil Med. 2012;44(4):355–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Huijs JJJM, Koppes LLJ, Taris TW, Blonk RWB. Differences in predictors or return to work among long-term sick-listed employees with different self-reported reasons for sick leave. J Occup Rehabil. 2012;22(3):301–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Andersen MF, Nielsen KM, Brinkmann S. Meta-synthesis of qualitative research on return to work among employees with common mental disorders. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2012;38(2):93–104. doi:10.6271/sjweh.3257.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Zwerling C, Whitten PS, Sprince NL, Davis CS, Wallace RB, Blanck P, et al. Workplace accommodations for people with disabilities: National Health Interview Survey Disability Supplement, 1994–1995. J Occup Environ Med. 2003;45(5):517–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Krause N, Dasinger LK, Deegan LJ, Rudolph L, Brand RJ. Psychosocial job factors and return-to-work after compensated low back injury: a disability phase specific analysis. Am J Ind Med. 2001;40:374–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Nielsen MBD, Bultmann U, Madsen IEH, Martin M, Christensen U, Diderichsen F, et al. Health, work, and personal-related predictors of time to return to work among employees with mental health problems. Disabil Rehabil. 2012;34(15):1311–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Koopmans PC, Roelen CAM, Groothoff JW. Sickness absence due to depressive symptoms. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2008;81:711–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Eakin JM, Champoux D, MacEachen E. Health and safety in small workplaces: refocusing upstream. Can J Public Health. 2010;101:S29–33.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Schultz IZ, Duplassie D, Hanson DB, Winter A. Systemic barriers and facilitators to job accommodations in mental health: experts’ consensus. In: Schultz IZ, Rogers ES, editors. Work accommodation and retention in mental health. New York: Springer; 2011.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  23. Smith PM, Stock SR, McLeod CB, Koehoorn M, Marchand A, Mustard CA. Research opportunities using administrative databases and existing surveys for new knowledge in occupational health and safety in Canada, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. Can J Public Health. 2010;101:S46–52.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Victoria WorkSafe. VCODE: the nature of injury/disease classification system for Victoria. Melbourne: WorkSafe Victoria; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Australian Bureau of Statistics. ANZSCO—Australian and New Zealand standard classification of occupations. Canberra, Australia 2005. Report No.: ABS Catalogue No. 1221.0.

  26. Human Resources & Skills Development Canada. National occupational classification career handbook. Ottawa, ON: Government of Canada; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  27. National Center for O*NET Development. O*Net OnLine. 2012. http://www.onetonline.org/. Accessed 11 Nov 2012.

  28. Allison PD. Comparing logit and probit coefficients across groups. Sociol Methods Res. 1999;28(2):186–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Austin PC, Hux JE. A brief note on overlapping confidence intervals. J Vasc Surg. 2002;36(1):194–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Franche RL, Cullen K, Clarke J, Irvin E, Sinclair S, Frank J. Workplace-based return-to-work interventions: a systematic review of the quantitative literature. J Occup Rehabil. 2005;15(4):607–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Collie A, Pan Y, Britt H, Henderson J. Coverage of work-related problems by workers’ compensation in general practice. Int J Social Secur Work Compens. 2011;3(1):1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Heymans MW, Anema JR, van Buuren S, Knol DL, van Mechelen W, De Vet HCW. Return to work in a cohort of low back pain patients: development and validation of a clinical prediction rule. J Occup Rehabil. 2009;19(2):155–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Stover B, Wickizer TM, Zimmerman F, Fulton-Kehoe D, Franklin G. Prognostic factors of long-term disability in a workers’ compensation system. J Occup Environ Med. 2007;49(1):31–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Kucera KL, Lipscomb HJ, Silverstein B, Cameron W. Predictors of delayed return to work after back injury: a case-control analysis of union carpenters in Washington State. Am J Ind Med. 2009;52:821–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Smith PM, Bielecky A. The impact of changes in job strain and its components on the risk of depression. Am J Public Health. 2012;102(2):352–8. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300376.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Thielen K, Nygaard E, Rugulies R, Diderichsen F. Job stress and the use of antidepressant medicine: a 3.5-year follow-up study among Danish employees. Occup Environ Med. 2010;68(3):205–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Peter Smith is supported by a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award from the Australian Research Council. Tessa Keegel is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia

    Peter M. Smith, Oliver Black, Tessa Keegel & Alex Collie

  2. Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Peter M. Smith

  3. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Peter M. Smith

  4. McCaughey Centre, Melbourne School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Tessa Keegel

  5. Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Alex Collie

Authors
  1. Peter M. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Oliver Black
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tessa Keegel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alex Collie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter M. Smith.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Smith, P.M., Black, O., Keegel, T. et al. Are the Predictors of Work Absence Following a Work-Related Injury Similar for Musculoskeletal and Mental Health Claims?. J Occup Rehabil 24, 79–88 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-013-9455-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-013-9455-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation