Prognostic factors for return to work after a first compensated episode of back pain.

Infante‐Rivard, Claire; Lortie, Monique

doi:10.1136/oem.53.7.488

Cited by 124 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…In studies in a primary care setting the rate of return to work was much higher and functional disability at inclusion was lower (16,(26)(27)(28). Patients in studies in a specialized clinic or a rehabilitation center represented more chronic cases when compared with patients in this study (29)(30)(31). However, compared with other studies in an occupational health setting, our study had more serious cases (8-10).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 48%

Prognostic factors for chronic disability from acute low-back pain in occupational health care

Weide¹,

Verbeek²,

Sallé³

et al. 1999

Scand J Work Environ Health

121

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Prognostic factors for chronic disability from acute low-back pain in occupational health care by van der Weide WE, Verbeek JHAM, Sallé HJA, van Objectives This study attempted to determine the prognostic indicators of low-back pain in an occupational health setting. Methods The identification of prognostic factors of (i) functional disability after 3 months' follow-up, (ii) functional disability after 12 months' follow-up, and (iii) time to return to work among 120 workers who reported to an occupational health unit and were off work with low-back pain for at least 10 days. Crude and adjusted odds ratios and hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated for the 3 outcome measures.Results Factors related to a longer time to return to work were radiating pain, high functional disability at the beginning of the study, problems in relations with colleagues, and high work tempo and work quantity. High functional disability at the beginning of the study and a high avoidance coping style predicted functional disability at 3 months. Functional disability at 12 months was more accurately predicted by work-related and psychosocial factors. C O~C~U S~O~S Especially radiating pain and functional disability predict a long duration of low-back pain in occupational health practice. Occupational physicians should also note work-related and psychosocial characteristics.Key terms functional disability, health care workers, prognosis, return to work.Musculoskeletal disorders, especially low-back pain, are common reasons for absence from work (1). Especially for patients with chronic low-back pain, sickness absence is a major consequence of their health problems. A recent population-based prevalence study reported work absenteeism in the last 12 months for 32% of chronic patients (2). Approximately 22% of all disability pensions in The Netherlands are due to musculoskeletal disorders. About half of this musculoskeletal category consists of patients who are disabled because of low-back pain (3).Diagnoses for sickness benefits show similar figures for back pain (4).To intervene more efficiently occupational physicians should be able to identify patients with a high risk of chronic disability. However, in spite of the magnitude of the problem, little is known about the course of and prognostic factors for low-back pain among sick employees. Most studies about this topic concern patients in general practice or patients in a rehabilitation center, and the results will differ from those involving workers on sick leave with low-back pain who visit their occupational physicians (5,6). Patients with chronic low-back pain in primary care usually have little sickness absence, and patients from a rehabilitation center form a selection of more problematic cases (7).In 5 prospective studies on the prognosis of acute low-back pain in an occupational health setting, only pain intensity and radicular signs were positively related to duration of sick leave or work status at follow-up in more than 1 study (8)(9)(10)(11)(12). Three fac...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 48%

Prognostic factors for chronic disability from acute low-back pain in occupational health care

Weide¹,

Verbeek²,

Sallé³

et al. 1999

Scand J Work Environ Health

121

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…This explanation is backed up by the comments of some of the participants to the focus groups. 1 In several previous studies, increasing age was associated with an adverse evolution of back pain [15,31,34,44,55,74,79]. Others have however concluded to an inverse (protective) effect of age [1,18].…”

Section: Interpretation Of Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…This may reflect that women in high level jobs have to joggle both with the stress of the job in addition to the stresses and hassles of family life. Current evidences about this association are contradictory [39,44].…”

Section: Interpretation Of Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Determinants of “return to work in good health” among workers with back pain who consult in primary care settings: a 2-year prospective study

et al. 2006

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Many factors have been linked to return to work after a back pain episode, but our understanding of this phenomenon is limited and cross-sectional dichotomous indices of return to work are not valid measures of this construct. To describe the course of ''return to work in good health'' (RWGH-a composite index of back pain outcome) among workers who consulted in primary care settings for back pain and identify its determinants, a 2-year prospective study was conducted. Subjects (n = 1,007, 68.4%) were workers who consulted in primary care settings of the Quebec City area for a nonspecific back pain. They completed five telephone interviews over 2 years (follow-up = 86%). Analyses linking baseline variables with 2-year outcome were conducted with polytomous logistic regression. The proportion of ''success'' in RWGH increased from 18% at 6 weeks to 57% at 2 years. In women, persistent pain, pain radiating to extremities, increasing job seniority, not having a unionized job, feeling that the physician did listen carefully and increasing fear-avoidance beliefs towards work and activity were determinants of ''failure'' in RWGH. In men, decreasing age, cigarette smoking, poor self-reported health status, pain in the thoracic area, previous back surgeries, a non-compensated injury, high pain levels, belief that job is below qualifications, likelihood of losing job, job status, satisfaction with health services and fear-avoidance beliefs towards work were all significant. RWGH among workers with back pain receives multiple influences, especially among men. In both genders, however, fear-avoidance beliefs about work are associated with failure and high self-efficacy is associated with success.

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“…For a prediction of the chances of return to work, such an inception cohort would consist of workers who are sick-listed because of back pain for less than 4 weeks. It can be concluded that chances of return to work are diminished if workers are older or if they have a higher level of initial disability, a specific diagnosis, or radiating pain (18,(38)(39)(40)(41). From the same studies it can be inferred that heavy physical work does not predict time to return to work.…”

Section: Prognosis Of Return To Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vocational rehabilitation of workers with back pain

Verbeek

2001

Scand J Work Environ Health

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Prognostic factors for return to work after a first compensated episode of back pain.

Cited by 124 publications

References 9 publications

Prognostic factors for chronic disability from acute low-back pain in occupational health care

Prognostic factors for chronic disability from acute low-back pain in occupational health care

Determinants of “return to work in good health” among workers with back pain who consult in primary care settings: a 2-year prospective study

Vocational rehabilitation of workers with back pain

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