Rockson A1, Dogbe J2, Badger EN2
1Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Phsiotherapy, Accra-Ghana, Ghana, 2Kwame Nkrumah Univeristy of Science and Technology, College of Health Science, Kumasi, Ghana
Background: Upper limb injury is a rising concern among the most devastating injuries in Ghana. This has a high potential of affecting normal work routine and acceptance in the work place. In such patients, there are often lifelong physical complications and emotional sequelae. Return to work is very important and needed to be strived for during rehabilitation of injured patients. Nonetheless, research in this area is lacking.
Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate work related factors that influence return to work among upper limb injured patients reporting to the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital Hand Clinic.
Methods: Structured questionnaires were used to collect data on the independent variables such age, education levels, occupation, religion, marital status, lifestyle and medical history. In addition, the work related questions were used to identify return to work conditions.
Results: 113 participants who satisfied the inclusion criteria and consented took part in this study. The study did observe a statistically significant association between physical work conditions (p=0.01), industrial relations between management and staff (0.03) and the way your workplace is managed (0.04) upon chi square analysis. The study did not observe any statistically significant association between the freedom to choose your methods of working, your colleagues support, the recognition you get from good work, your immediate supervisor/manager, the amount of responsibility you are given and your rate of pay (p> 0.05).
Conclusion(s): The results of the study reveal that respondents' motivation to return to work may be a function of expectations of recovery with the value of company management style. Even though return to work does not depend on type of work, modification and probably change of work environment to suit an injured individual is important.
Implications: The implications of work environment and management on injured patients are far reaching. Physiotherapists should collaborate with immediate supervisors and managers in transiting from hospital to work environment, to enhance rehabilitation efforts.
Keywords: Return to work, Patient, Management
Funding acknowledgements: The project was personally funded by Principal Investigator.
Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate work related factors that influence return to work among upper limb injured patients reporting to the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital Hand Clinic.
Methods: Structured questionnaires were used to collect data on the independent variables such age, education levels, occupation, religion, marital status, lifestyle and medical history. In addition, the work related questions were used to identify return to work conditions.
Results: 113 participants who satisfied the inclusion criteria and consented took part in this study. The study did observe a statistically significant association between physical work conditions (p=0.01), industrial relations between management and staff (0.03) and the way your workplace is managed (0.04) upon chi square analysis. The study did not observe any statistically significant association between the freedom to choose your methods of working, your colleagues support, the recognition you get from good work, your immediate supervisor/manager, the amount of responsibility you are given and your rate of pay (p> 0.05).
Conclusion(s): The results of the study reveal that respondents' motivation to return to work may be a function of expectations of recovery with the value of company management style. Even though return to work does not depend on type of work, modification and probably change of work environment to suit an injured individual is important.
Implications: The implications of work environment and management on injured patients are far reaching. Physiotherapists should collaborate with immediate supervisors and managers in transiting from hospital to work environment, to enhance rehabilitation efforts.
Keywords: Return to work, Patient, Management
Funding acknowledgements: The project was personally funded by Principal Investigator.
Topic: Musculoskeletal: upper limb
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.
Ethics committee: Committee on Human Research, Publication and Ethics
Ethics number: Ref: CHRPE/AP/074/17
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
