Table 3

OLAWIS cohort, return to work and recovery status at 18-month follow-up, by persistent pain status

All respondents (n=1131)No pain
(n=254)
Mild pain, functional impairment unlikely (n=479)Severe pain, functional impairment likely (n=398)P value
Current employment status, n (%)<0.001
 Working with at injury employer695 (61.5)165 (65.0)312 (65.1)218 (54.8)
 Working with different employer177 (15.6)48 (18.9)80 (16.7)49 (12.3)
 Not currently working259 (22.9)41 (16.1)87 (18.2)131 (32.9)
Sample group, n (%)<0.001
Benefit duration 1 day-3 months358 (31.7)119 (46.9)164 (34.2)75 (18.8)
Benefit duration 3–12 months373 (33.0)95 (37.4)162 (33.8)116 (29.1)
Benefit duration 12–18 months400 (35.4)40 (15.7)153 (31.9)207 (52.0)
Loss of earnings duration (days)*, mean (SD)71.93 (88.40)55.30 (64.10)62.45 (80.40)93.58 (105.13)<0.001
Loss of earnings*, $C, mean (SD)7885 (11,087)6026 (7,215)7223 (10,391)9890 (13,461)<0.001
 Median4132320634505183
Healthcare benefits*, $C, mean (SD)7398 (13,186)4064 (6,551)6335 (11,378)10 841 (17,122)<0.001
 Median2657146621445288
Current WSIB services, n (%)223 (19.8)9 (3.5)72 (15.1)142 (35.9)<0.001
Received healthcare for injury, n (%)1067 (94.4)232 (91.3)450 (94.1)385 (96.7)0.013
Current healthcare for injury, n (%)356 (33.5)14 (6.0)127 (28.4)215 (56.1)<0.001
Seen multiple healthcare providers for injury, n (%)872 (81.7)178 (76.7)357 (79.3)337 (87.5)0.001
Stressful healthcare experience (%)<0.001
 Not at all stressful627 (58.8)166 (71.6)278 (61.9)183 (47.5)
 Not very stressful163 (15.3)30 (12.9)76 (16.9)57 (14.8)
 A bit stressful157 (14.7)17 (7.3)65 (14.5)75 (19.5)
 Quite a bit stressful76 (7.1)10 (4.3)24 (5.3)42 (10.9)
 Extremely stressful43 (4.0)9 (3.9)6 (1.3)28 (7.3)
Prescription opioid use (past year), n (%)151 (13.5)13 (5.1)60 (12.6)78 (20.2)<0.001
Prescription sedative use (past year) n (%)272 (24.2)34 (13.4)94 (19.7)144 (36.5)<0.001
Poor/fair physical health, n (%)294 (26.0)13 (5.1)76 (15.9)205 (51.5)<0.001
Poor/fair mental health, n (%)313 (27.7)32 (12.6)88 (18.4)193 (48.7)<0.001
Kessler Distress Scale (K6) Score >12, proportion (SD)169 (15.1)12 (4.7)30 (6.3)127 (32.2)<0.001
Trouble going to or staying asleep, n (%)<0.001
 All of the time187 (16.6)12 (4.7)58 (12.1)117 (29.5)
 Most of the time265 (23.5)31 (12.2)102 (21.3)132 (33.2)
 Sometimes324 (28.7)78 (30.7)151 (31.6)95 (23.9)
 Rarely182 (16.1)67 (26.4)85 (17.8)30 (7.6)
 Never171 (15.1)66 (26.0)82 (17.2)23 (5.8)
Financial difficulties during work absence, n (%)
 Yes576 (51.2)79 (31.2)222 (46.5)275 (69.8)<0.001
Any cannabis use in the past year, n (%)
 Yes349 (30.9)70 (27.6)136 (28.4)143 (35.9)<0.001
  • $C indicates that values are in Canadian dollars.

  • *Indicates outcome variables. Non-imputed mean and median values shown.

  • OLAWIS, Ontario Life After Work Injury Study; WSIB, Workplace Safety & Insurance Board.