The right treatment to the right patient at the right time
- Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
- Correspondence to: Dr Psychol E M H Haldorsen, The Outpatient Spine Clinic, Haukeland University Hospital, Box 1, 5021 Bergen, Norway; ellen.haldorsen{at}haukeland.no
A multitude of variables have been presumed to influence and predict return to work
In an attempt to prevent a development to chronic pain (which concerns about 10%), occupational physicians and other health professionals should be able to identify patients with a high risk of chronic disability at an early stage. It is well known that the longer individuals are out of work, the less likely they are to return to work. A multitude of variables have been presumed to influence and predict return to work. The most commonly assessed predictors include medical factors, sociodemographic factors, job related information, and psychological variables. There has been growing recognition that the lack of consistency in reporting findings in this area may be due to the heterogeneity of the patients studied. In general, combinations of sets of predictors seem more important than single predictors.
The article by Hogg-Johnson and Cole in this issue1 is a methodologically strong addition to publications in this important field. In a prospective cohort of 907 injured workers (mean age 38.6 years; 49% men; 59% back injuries, 27% upper limb injuries, and 15% lower limb injuries), they have developed a model of prognosis predicting length of time receiving workers’ compensation benefits using factors measured during the initial four weeks. …
