Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Return to Work”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed2007

Supervisors' views on employer responsibility in the return to work process. A focus group study.

BACKGROUND: Supervisors' attitudes and measures have been pointed out by employees to influence the return to work process. The purpose of this study was to explore supervisors' views on employer responsibility in the return to work process and factors influencing the support of sick-listed employees. METHOD: The focus group method was used. Six groups were conducted and each group met on one occasion. Twenty-three supervisors experienced in managing sick-listed employees participated. RESULT: Two different themes emerged; In "The Supervisor is the Key Person" the participants found themselves as being key persons, carrying the main responsibility for the rehabilitation of the sick-listed employees and for creating a good working environment, thus preventing ill health and sick-listing among the employees. In the second theme "Influential Factors in Rehabilitation Work" the participants described the rehabilitation work as a part of a greater whole influenced by society, demands and resources of the workplace and the interplay between all parties involved. CONCLUSION: The study gives us the supervisors' perspective on the complexity of the return to work rehabilitation. This knowledge could be invaluable and be used to improve the possibilities for developing successful collaboration in occupational rehabilitation.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Return to work after occupational injury. Family physicians' perspectives on soft-tissue injuries.

OBJECTIVE: To document physicians' views about facilitating factors for and barriers to their helping workers recover after occupational soft-tissue injuries and to ascertain physicians' knowledge and attitudinal barriers to their involvement in return to work. DESIGN: Faxed survey. SETTING: Manitoba family practices and emergency departments. PARTICIPANTS: General practitioners, family physicians, and emergency physicians regularly caring for injured workers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Physicians' ranking of facilitating factors and barriers, changes to help their involvement in return to work, and their attitudes and knowledge about return to work. RESULTS: Respondents and nonrespondents were demographically similar, 232 physicians (51.3%) responded. Respondents believed the main facilitating factors were physicians' ability to explain the nature and prognosis of injuries to workers (69%) and the willingness of workplaces to accommodate injured workers (26%). The main barriers were workers' misunderstandings and fears about their injuries (70.7%) and non-supportive supervisors and co-workers (20.8%). The most frequently requested change was better workplace job accommodation (48%). Most physicians agreed they had a role in planning return to work and were aware of the effect of job satisfaction, psychosocial elements, and work-related factors. Despite supporting evidence, only one third of physicians stated they would say "try to continue usual activities" to patients with occupational low back pain. CONCLUSION: Most physicians seemed aware of their role in return to work and the effect of occupational factors, but their advice on activity after injury differed from that in practice guidelines.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2002

Supervisors' attitudes toward return to work after myocardial infarction or coronary artery bypass graft.

Although workplace supervisors may play a significant role in the return-to-work process, there are very few scientific references to this effect. This study surveyed supervisors' reactions, attitudes, and anxieties concerning the return-to-work of employees after myocardial infarction or coronary artery bypass graft. A total of 58 supervisors of employees who had returned to work responded to a self-report questionnaire based on interviews with occupational physicians and nurses, heart patients, and experienced supervisors. The supervisors believed they contributed significantly to the successful occupational rehabilitation of heart patients and emphasized the importance of ongoing consultations with occupational physicians. Yet many of the respondents considered such employees to be problematic to a considerable extent, because their occupational functioning is often impaired initially and special attention and support is required.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1993

[Return to work after myocardial revascularization].

Six hundred and seventy-two patients classified in four strata with one hundred sixty-eight in each were evaluated during the fourth month after myocardial revascularization, with coronary artery bypass graft and/or internal mammary artery and coronary angioplasty, in order to verify the return or not to work as well as the conditions under which this was done. The four strata constituted by occupational profile were the following: I--entrepreneurs and managers; II--professionals with university degree; III--technicians; IV--unskilled and semi-skilled professionals. The aim of this research project was to discover how variables like demographics, education, procedure and support after procedure, were related to the return to work. Return to work did not occur in 20.8% of all cases. The non-return contingent in each of the four strata was the following: I = 11.9%; II = 15.5%; III = 26.2% and IV = 29.8%. Among those submitted to angioplasty the proportion of non-return was lower than that of those submitted to surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Workers' beliefs and expectations affect return to work over 12 months.

BACKGROUND: Successful management of workers on sick leave due to low back pain depends on the identification by the occupational physician of modifiable prognostic factors in the early phase of sick-leave. The prognostic value of factors which influence the course of low back pain and return to work in occupational health care is unclear. METHODS: Secondary data analysis in a cohort of 299 workers on sick leave between 3 and 6 weeks due to low back pain was applied. We investigated the association of a broad set of prognostic indicators related to characteristics of worker, job, low back pain and psychosocial issues on return to work lasting at least 4 weeks (lasting-RTW) and minimally 1 day of first return to work (first-RTW). Relationships were studied using Cox regression analysis and covered a follow-up period of 12 months. The explained variation of the models was also calculated. RESULTS: The median time to return to work using lasting-RTW and first-RTW was 76 and 71 days respectively. In addition to individual analysis of potential predictive factors a backward selection procedure resulted in the following multivariable model: self-predicted timing of return to work, pain intensity, job satisfaction, social support, pain radiation, expectations of treatment succes of the occupational physician. Similar results were found for first-RTW. The explained variance of the multivariate model of lasting-RTW was 18%. CONCLUSIONS: Factors concerning the expectations and beliefs of the worker affected the RTW process. Knowledge of these factors by the occupational physician in the early phase of low back pain and sick-leave may contribute to solutions to promote return to work.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A longitudinal study of compensation-seeking and return to work in a treated mild traumatic brain injury sample.

OBJECTIVE: In patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), to assess: (1) changes in financial compensation-seeking status over time and (2) the relationship between compensation-seeking and return to work. DESIGN: Longitudinal evaluation of financial compensation-seeking status (i.e., at intake, 3 months postinjury, and 12 months postinjury) and relationship of such status to return to work. SETTING: Outpatient rehabilitation clinic. SUBJECTS: Ninety-seven patients with MTBI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Compensation-seeking status at 3 and 12 months and days taken to return to preinjury vocational activity. RESULTS: Those in litigation at intake generally continued to be in litigation at 3 and 12 months postinjury. Those seeking or receiving compensation via administrative means (e.g., sick pay or workers' compensation) at intake were generally not seeking or receiving compensation by 3 months or later, as was the case for most of those not seeking any financial compensation at intake. Patients seeking or receiving financial compensation via litigation and/or administrative means at intake took longer to return to work than did people who were not seeking or receiving compensation at intake. CONCLUSION: The present study design does not allow for determination of the reasons for the strong relationship between financial compensation-seeking soon post-MTBI and a slow return to work. However, the strength of the present findings indicates that the presence or absence of financial compensation-seeking soon post-MTBI should be routinely evaluated when return to work is an issue.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Treatment of chronic low-back pain. A community-based comprehensive return-to-work physical rehabilitation program.

A retrospective evaluation of treatment methods used in 1981 and 1982 and the subsequent rate of return to work was conducted on 350 consecutive patients with low-back pain. Two hundred nine patients completed 12 or more treatments in sessions that occurred three times a week. Of these, 120 were chronically disabled. The program aimed at maximizing function and return to work through graded exercise, biomechanics education, work simulation exercises, endurance activities, and flexibility training. All patients remained under the care of their own physicians. Return-to-work or work status improvement was accomplished in 58.1% of the patients. The working hypothesis is that in many back-disabled patients the original cause of disability healed or resolved, and current symptoms were often attributable to deconditioning fear and poor biomechanics. Conservative management is effective in returning many chronic back-pain patients to economic productivity.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Vocational Rehabilitation Index: a guide to accident victims' requirements for return-to-work assistance.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Index (VRI) is an easily administered, seven-item, ordinally scaled assessment, developed from analysis of variables associated with early return to work in a representative sample of 194 persons who received compensation for injuries at work or in road traffic accidents. The VRI discriminates between persons who return to work and those who do not. It can be used to identify, amongst non-returners, those whose return to work might be assisted by referral to rehabilitation. It may also indicate the kind of assistance that would be most helpful.

Abbreviated Injury Scale↗
PubMed2006

Return to work following varicose vein surgery: influence of type of operation, employment and social status.

OBJECTIVES: To determine factors which influence the time taken to return to work in patients undergoing varicose vein surgery. DESIGN: Prospective collection of data from patients at outpatient interview. SETTING: The Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at a teaching hospital in the UK. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred and fifteen consecutive employed or self-employed patients attending the outpatient clinic for review following varicose vein surgery. METHODS: Data was collected from patients in the outpatient clinic approximately 6 weeks following varicose vein surgery. Type of procedure, gender, occupation status, category of occupation, the incidence of complications and the time taken to return to work (RTW) was recorded. Statistics were performed using Kruskal-Wallis H, Mann-Whitney U and chi-squared analysis. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifteen patients were included, 77 (36%) men and 138 (64%) women. One hundred and ninety-two (89%) were employed and 23 (11%) self-employed. One hundred and fifty-three underwent primary saphenofemoral (SFJ) surgery, 10 bilateral procedures, 23 primary saphenopopliteal surgery (SPJ), 14 redo operations, five combined SFJ and SPJ, two mid thigh perforator ligation, six phlebectomies without groin or popliteal surgery and two bilateral surgery for recurrence. There was no relationship of gender or incidence of complications to RTW. There was a significant difference (p<0.0001) between employed (median RTW 4 weeks, interquartile range 2-5 weeks) and self-employed patients (median 2 weeks, interquartile range 1-4 weeks). Occupation category did show an overall significant difference (p<0.0001) on Kruskal-Wallis H-testing. Paired Mann-Whitney U-analysis showed that this difference was between occupation class I (median RTW 2 weeks, interquartile range 1-3 weeks) and IIIN (median 3.5 weeks, interquartile range 2-5 weeks), IIIM (median 5 weeks, interquartile range 2-5 weeks), IV (median 4 weeks, interquartile range 2-6 weeks) and V (median 4 weeks interquartile range 3-6 weeks), and between class II (median 3 weeks, interquartile range 2-4 weeks) and classes IIIM, IV and V. CONCLUSIONS: Employed patients and those involved in intensive manual labour are less likely to return to work early. There is no effect of gender or incidence of complications. On the basis of this study we would recommend that patients could return to work within 3 weeks of varicose veins surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Cardiological rehabilitation--a chance of returning to work].

According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO) "rehabilitation is a comprehensive and coordinated application of medical, social, educational and occupational measures to adapt a sick person to new life and to assist in gaining the best possible physical fitness". With respect to patients with cardiovascular diseases, the significance of comprehensive cardiologic rehabilitation is particularly emphasized. Return to work is by some authors perceived as a marker of rehabilitation efficiency. At the 8th World Rehabilitation Congress held in Dublin in May 2004, Perk (Sweden) reviewed the literature addressing the issue of returning to work. Over the recent seventy years, 460 publications devoted to this topic have been published. They mainly focus on the proportion of persons who return to work after myocardial infarction, percutaneous angioplasty of coronary arteries or implantation of aortic-coronary stents as well as on factors contributing to this success. It has been revealed that rehabilitation is one of numerous factors. Interestingly, socioeconomic and psychological, but not medical, factors play the major role in assuring return to work. There are also other factors which play a role, such as age < 50 years, education, social support, physical efficiency, disease perception, work satisfaction, absence of clinical symptoms, depression, fear, relations between the management and employees, place of residence (rural or urban area), economic status, sense of disability, waiting time for surgical procedure (period shorter than 3 months increases the frequency of returning to work). The number of studies providing evidence that rehabilitation enhances a chance of returning to work is rather limited. The authors review the state-of-the-art in this area based on the available literature.

Cardiac Rehabilitation↗
PubMed1996

The effect of workers' or third-party compensation on return to work after hand surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of compensation in recovery from scaphoid internal fixation. DESIGN: Retrospective review of patients who had had scaphoid internal fixations performed by one surgeon between 1 September 1981 and 31 December 1994 with a minimum follow-up of six months. SETTING: Private practice of a specialist hand surgeon. PATIENTS: 202 patients who attended for the minimum of six months' follow-up, and for whom accurate details of return-to-work time were available. INTERVENTION: Internal fixation of scaphoid fractures using the Herbert bone screw without postoperative immobilisation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Return-to-work time and compensation status. RESULTS: Overall, patients receiving compensation took more than twice as long as privately insured individuals to return to work after scaphoid internal fixation (7.3 v. 3.3 weeks). There was no difference for clerical workers, but for manual workers compensable individuals took significantly longer (P < 0.001) to return to work. Compensation status did not affect bony union, postoperative wrist function, pain or patient satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Compensation encourages a slower return to work after surgery. The current compensation system could save millions of dollars each year by incorporating incentives to return to work without sacrificing good surgical results.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Return to work after coronary artery bypass operation.

A societal cost-benefit argument has been made for the coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation. Most patients experience improvement in symptoms and many can return to a productive livelihood. To estimate the rate of return to work and identify the factors influencing that outcome, we analyzed the work status before and after operation in a follow-up of 105 patients undergoing CABG operations in a new teaching hospital. Overall, relief or improvement in angina was accomplished in 92% of patients, and there was a 10% net increase to th work force after operation. Of all variables studied, preoperative work status was found to be the most statistically significant predictor of the postoperative return to work; other factors associated with return to work included symptomatic relief or improvement, age, and educational level. Preoperative and postoperative means of support did not play a major role in determining work outcome.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1997

The physician's role in helping patients return to work after an illness or injury. Canadian Medical Association.

This policy addresses the role of attending physicians in assisting their patients to return to work after an illness or injury. The physician's role is to diagnose and treat the illness or injury, to advise and support the patient, to provide and communicate appropriate information to the patient and the employer and to work closely with other involved health care professionals to facilitate the patient's safe and timely return to the most productive employment possible. Carrying out this role requires physicians to understand the patient's roles in the family and the workplace. It requires physicians to recognize and support the employee-employer relationship and the primary importance of this relationship in the return to work. Finally, it requires physicians to have a good understanding of the potential roles of other health care professionals and employment personnel in assisting and promoting the return to work.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1992

Predicting return to work in traumatic brain injury using assessment scales.

This study compared two frequently used brain injury assessment scales with a comprehensive functional scale in their capability to predict return to work in a traumatic brain injured population. Fifty-seven consecutive admissions to an inpatient brain injury program were rated at admission and discharge using the following scales: Patient Evaluation and Conference System (PECS), Disability Rating Scale, and Levels of Cognitive Functioning Scale. Their relative accuracy in predicting return to work or school up to 26 months after the injury was assessed using hierarchical logistic regression analysis. In each analysis, return to work/school was the dependent variable. The independent variables were initial status and discharge status on each rating scale. Overall these scales predicted return to work with 73.5% to 84.4% accuracy. Total PECS and PECS Cognition scores were the most accurate predictors. Analysis of incorrect predictions revealed the importance of additionally tracking the social factors of substance abuse, family/community support and financial need to return to work.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2005

Management and employee agreement on reports of organizational policies and practices important in return to work following carpal tunnel surgery.

This study's purpose was to assess the agreement between management and employee ratings of organizational policies and practices (OPP) involved in the return to work process following carpal tunnel surgery. As a part of the prospective community-based Maine Carpal Tunnel II Study, 65 manager and employee pairs completed a questionnaire tapping four OPP dimensions. people oriented culture, safety climate, ergonomic practices, and disability management. It was hypothesized that managers and employees would agree on their assessment of the four OPPs and a composite organizational support index. Agreement was assessed using Lin's concordance correlation coefficient. Employee and manager ratings were similar for the organizational support index (rho(c) = 0.14, p = 0.08), and people oriented culture (rho(c) = 0.25, p = 0.01) but not the other three OPPs. In larger companies (>450 employees), ratings were also similar for safety climate (rho(c) = 0.24, p = 0.09), disability management (rho(c) = 0.22, p = 0.07) and ergonomic practices (rho(c) = 0.35, p = 0.02). In unionized companies there was agreement for safety climate (rho = 0.44, p = 0.02), disability management (rho(c) = 0.41, p = 0.01) and ergonomic practices (rho(c) = 0.40, p = 0.06). These preliminary results suggest employees can report on certain OPPs and that an employee questionnaire can be used to assess organizational support. Given recent evidence that employee ratings of OPPs are predictive of injury/illness incidence, work disability and return-to-work outcomes, further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

Return to work during the year following first myocardial infarction.

This study considers the importance of demographic and psychosocial variables in return to work following a first myocardial infarction. Those patients who returned to work within two months of their infarct, compared with those who had not returned, tended to be younger and of higher socio-economic status. They were also more likely to have an internal locus of control and to have attributed their MI to occupational stressors. Conversely, patients who had not resumed employment one year following their infarction, in comparison with those who had, were likely to be of lower socio-economic status and to have been more depressed immediately following their heart attack.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed2006

Upper extremity disorders in the workplace: costs and outcomes beyond the first return to work.

BACKGROUND: Cumulative trauma disorders of the upper extremities (CTD) have become increasingly important in workers' compensation caseloads over the last two decades. Relative to occupational back pain, CTD have been much less studied. METHODS: We analyzed post-injury employment patterns and return-to-work probabilities for a sample of Ontario workers with CTD, for up to five years after injury. Results for workers with CTD are compared to results for workers with back injuries or fractures. RESULTS: Most workers with CTD return to work at least once, but a first return does not necessarily mark the end of work disability. Among workers absent at least once, 26% with CTD report a second injury-related absence, compared to 18% with back pain and 12% with fractures. After five years, focusing on first returns underestimates work-loss days associated with CTD by 32%. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of workers with CTD or work-related back pain experience injury-related absences after their first return to work. Focusing on the first return to work is misleading for both injury groups, but even more so for CTD, as they appear to be even more susceptible to multiple spells of work absence.

Adult↗