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Psychosocial job factors and return‐to‐work after compensated low back injury: A disability phase‐specific analysis
Author(s) -
Krause Niklas,
Dasinger Lisa K.,
Deegan Leo J.,
Rudolph Linda,
Brand Richard J.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.1112
Subject(s) - psychosocial , medicine , job control , workload , physical therapy , cohort , proportional hazards model , job satisfaction , occupational injury , cohort study , injury prevention , poison control , work (physics) , psychiatry , psychology , environmental health , surgery , mechanical engineering , social psychology , pathology , computer science , engineering , operating system
Background Job characteristics may constitute a barrier to return‐to‐work (RTW) after compensated disabling low back pain (LBP). This study examines the impact of psychosocial job factors on time to RTW separately during the acute and subacute/chronic disability phases. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of 433 LBP workers' compensation claimants with 1–4 years of follow‐up. The association of psychosocial job factors with duration of work disability was estimated with Cox regression models, adjusting for injury history and severity, physical workload, and demographic and employment factors. Results High physical and psychological job demands and low supervisory support are each associated with about 20% lower RTW rates during all disability phases. High job control, especially control over work and rest periods, is associated with over 30% higher RTW rates, but only during the subacute/chronic disability phase starting 30 days after injury. Job satisfaction and coworker support are unrelated to time to RTW. Conclusions Duration of work disability is associated with psychosocial job factors independent of injury severity and physical workload. The impact of these risk factors changes significantly over the course of disability. Am. J. Ind. Med. 40:374–392, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.