The effects of individual, occupational, and supportive factors on successful return to work using a structural equation model

Abstract

ObjectivesWe aimed to ascertain the relationship between several factors and successful return to work using a structural equation model.MethodsWe used original data from the Panel Study of Worker’s Compensation Insurance, and defined four latent variables as occupational, individual, supportive, and successful return to work. Each latent variable was defined by its observed variables, including age, workplace size, and quality of the medical services. A theoretical model in which all latent variables had a relationship was suggested. After examining the model, we modified some pathways that were not significant or did not fit, and selected a final structural equation model that had the highest goodness of fit.ResultsAll three latent variables (occupational, individual, and supportive) showed statistically significant relationships with successful return to work. The occupational and supportive factors had relationships with each other, but there was no relationship between individual and the other factors. Nearly all observed variables had significance with their latent variables. The correlation coefficients from the latent variables to successful return to work were statistically significant and the indices for goodness of fit were satisfactory. In particular, four observed variables—handicap level, duration of convalescence, working duration, and support from the company—showed construct validities with high correlation coefficients.ConclusionsAll factors that we examined are related to successful return to work. We should focus on the supportive factor the most because its variables are modifiable to promote a return to work by those injured in their workplace.

Sex Differences in Factors Associated with General Life Satisfaction among Occupationally Injured Workers in Korea: A Panel Analysis of the 2013–2017 Panel Study of Worker’s Compensation Insurance

“…Interestingly, the proportion of participants who returned to a different workplace increased five years after injury in both men and women, and the proportions of women who were unemployed and returned to their pre-injury workplace were low compared to those of their male counterparts five years after work-related injuries. The present findings were consistent with previous findings that injured workers were likely to find jobs with a lower income or to become unemployed over time compared to non-injured workers [33,35,36,37], and women were more vulnerable than men in regard to returning to work [25,36].…”

Changes in Income after an Industrial Accident According to Industry and Return-to-Work Status

“…Several studies have identified the factors affecting a worker’s ability to resume their occupation. Briefly, a return-to-work is easier for workers who are male, younger, and have better health, a low level of disability from injury, a shorter recovery period, better hospital quality and a greater interest in returning to work from the physician [2,17,18,19,20,21,22,23]. Some additional studies evaluated compensation for industrial accidents or the return-to-work and changes in income after industrial accidents [3,10,24,25,26].…”

Effect of professional certification on employees’ return-to-work rate after occupational injuries in Korea: focusing on vulnerable groups

“…Several studies have identified factors affecting the RTW rate of injured workers [16][17][18][19]. These factors can be divided into five categories: personal, socioeconomic, occupational, degree of injury, and employer interest level in workers' reemployment [4,16,19].…”

“…Several studies have identified factors affecting the RTW rate of injured workers [16][17][18][19]. These factors can be divided into five categories: personal, socioeconomic, occupational, degree of injury, and employer interest level in workers' reemployment [4,16,19]. RTW is known to be associated with personal factors such as being male, being younger, being married, having a higher education level, and having a higher household income [18] and occupational factors such as larger-sized workplaces, longer duration of employment, regular workers, and other factors such as lower disability ratings after occupational injuries, shorter length of hospital stays and recovery duration, hospitals with higher quality scores, and greater interest of doctors in charge and employers in injured workers' RTW [20,21].…”

“…Most studies on occupational injuries focused on RTW [9,18,19]. However, few have examined the relationship between workers' RTW and professional certification.…”