IMPACT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL ROAD TRAFFIC INJURIES ON RETURN TO WORK: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

M. Abedi¹, E. Gane², T. Aplin², V. Johnston²

¹The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Australia, ²University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Brisbane, Australia

Background: Road Traffic Crashes are a major concern worldwide. Reduced work ability due to road traffic injuries is reported to have a negative influence on injured persons’ health and financial situation as well as their families and workplace. A better understanding of the factors impacting return to work (RTW) following road traffic injuries would facilitate recovery of injured individuals and reduce associated personal and societal costs.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of road traffic crash on RTW one year after the injury and to identify predictors of RTW within one and 12 months after the injury.

Methods: Individuals aged 18 to 64 years with mild to serious musculoskeletal road traffic injuries were recruited within 28 days of injury from two public hospital Emergency Departments in Queensland, Australia. Participants with a severe injury (e.g., severe traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, extensive burns, or multiple amputations) and those not in paid employment prior to the injury were excluded. Eligible participants completed a comprehensive online questionnaire at one and 12 months after the injury. RTW status was defined as whether participants had returned to work successfully. Forty seven potential predictors of RTW were examined (e.g., age; gender; level of education; marital status; pre-injury job (e.g., type of occupation, employment status, having physically/mentally demanding job, and annual salary); role in the crash; type and severity of the injury, hospital admission; type of medication/treatments received; lodging a claim for compensation; engaging legal representation; having comorbidity; level of RTW/recovery expectations, quality of life, pain and disability, anxiety, depression, distress, resilience, perceived injustice, and perceived threat to life). Descriptive statistics were used to describe the characteristics of participants and multivariate regression analysis was utilised to determine which baseline factors predicted RTW status within one and 12 months after road traffic injury.

Results: Sixty-three participants (50% female) completed the baseline assessment. Forty-six (92%) participants RTW after one year. Around 13% (n=8) had at least one RTW failure. RTW within one month from the injury was predicted by (i) lower severity of injury, (ii) lower level of pain and disability, and (iii) younger age (R²= 0.65, p<0.05); and at 12 months by earning a higher level of income pre-injury (R²= 0.25, p<0.05).

Conclusions: Most people sustaining a mild to serious musculoskeletal road traffic injury RTW after one year. However, for some people this is not an indication of complete recovery. Physical health is a key predictor of RTW following these injuries, highlighting the importance of availability of rehabilitation for injured individuals.

Implications: Identifying factors impacting work after a mild to serious musculoskeletal road traffic injury will assist physiotherapists in delivering early, appropriate, and individualised interventions for a successful RTW.

Funding acknowledgements: The work was unfunded.

Keywords:
Return to work
Road Traffic Crashes
Musculoskeletal injuries

Topics:
Disability & rehabilitation

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: The University of Queensland

Committee: Human Research Ethics Committee

Ethics number: 2018001693