Relationship Between Occupation, Social Class and Time taken off Work Following a Whiplash Injury

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Little has been published about occupational and social factors in relation to time off work following a whiplash injury.PATIENTS AND METHODS We analysed 800 medicolegal case sheets from a consultant orthopaedic surgeon's practice. RESULTS Of those injured, 596 were working and 204 were unemployed or retired. The working group was further analysed. Severity of injury was estimated by analysing velocity of injury combined with vehicular damage. Mean time off work for a minor injury was 10.6 days, moderate 12.1 days, severe 13.8, and very severe 24.9 ( P < 0.05). Looking at work categories as previously described in the literature, 20.5 days were taken off by heavy manual workers, light manual 15.7, driving 13.9, secretarial 9.2 and sedentary 12.8 ( P < 0.05). Analysing as per social class showed that professionals required 7.0 days, intermediate 14.7 days, skilled non-manual 16.1 days, skilled manual 34.2 days, semi-skilled manual 33.2 days, and unskilled manual 11.5 days ( P < 0.05). Nearly a third (31.2%) required no time off work, after 4 days off, 52.1% had returned to work and 90.1% were back at work after 30 days. Time off lasting more than 12 weeks occurred in 29 cases (4.9%).CONCLUSIONS Job style, severity of injury and social class have a bearing on time taken off work after road traffic accidents causing whiplash injury.

Prognostic indicators of social outcomes in persons who sustained an injury in a road traffic crash

“…In a more recent New Zealand study of 2626 workers injured at work or elsewhere [9], 17% of workers were classified as delayed return to work, of these 76% of were disabled (measured by a disability scale) at either 3 or 12 months post-injury. Additionally, a retrospective study of 600 participants with whiplash injury following a vehicle-related crash showed that job type, severity of injury and social class influenced the time taken off work after road traffic accidents causing whiplash injury [10]. Finally, a recent Dutch cohort study [11] reported that 58.8% of those with postwhiplash syndrome after a road traffic crash were work disabled.…”

Impact of interventions on work-related outcomes for individuals with musculoskeletal injuries after road traffic crash: a systematic review protocol

“…government legislation). At the individual level, self-rated health [28], disability level [29], recovery expectations [28, 29], job type [28, 30], and work hours [28] of injured individuals have been associated with return to work rates after a road traffic crash and may also be associated with return to work rates and other work-related outcomes following an intervention.…”