#0131 Which Factors Dictate an Employee’s Return to Work After Getting Injured on Duty?

Which Factors Dictate an Employee’s Return to Work After Getting Injured on Duty?

Every year, about 1% of the working population in Hong Kong, which is around  35,000 people, sustain injuries while on duty. However, the only information available on these injuries is from official statistical figures, since research on this topic is limited.

To address this gap, a team of researchers studied data from medical records of 323 employees who visited a public hospital for treatment of injuries sustained on-duty and assessed the factors that affected employees’ return to work post-injury.

They found that about 80% of workers successfully resumed work post-injury, with a mean gap period of about 11 months.

When assessing the risk factors associated with non-return to work, the researchers found that women and people who are widowed or divorced and living alone were less likely to resume work post-recovery. The severity of the injury did not significantly affect a patient’s chance of return to work, but the type of injury did. Thus, patients with back injuries and psychological symptoms were less likely to resume working, compared to those with hand injury. Patients who sought medical advice early had proper wound management and a straightforward treatment plan, and patients who were recommended for physiotherapy early and had shorter periods of idle inactivity were more likely to return to work. The follow-ups and confidence in recovery meant that patients resumed day-to-day life, and work, sooner.

Certain lengthy administrative procedures, like appeals for appropriate compensation and legal disputes, also reduced the chance of an employee’s return to work post recovery.

In a nutshell, injured employees in stressful environments, with lesser support—be it medical, emotional, physical, or psychological—took longer to recover. These findings could help healthcare personnel and policymakers understand the nuances of these injuries better, and deal with them suitably to ensure an injured employee’s speedy recovery, both physical and emotional.

Link to the original journal article:
https://academic.oup.com/joh/article/63/1/e12255/7249819

Title of the paper:
Who are less likely to return to work after getting injured on duty? A 12-month epidemiological evaluation in an orthopedic and traumatology center in Hong Kong

Authors:
Daniel Wai-yip Wong, Anthony Wai-leung Kwok, Yiu-chung Wong

DOI:
10.1002/1348-9585.12255