Factors influencing the duration of work-related disability: a population-based study of Washington State workers' compensation.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this study was to examine factors predictive of duration of work-related disability. METHODS. Multivariate survival analysis techniques were used to conduct a population-based, retrospective cohort study on a random sample of 28,473 workers' compensation claims from Washington State filed for injuries occurring in 1987 to 1989. The principal outcome measure was length of time for which compensation for lost wages was paid, used as a surrogate for duration of temporary total disability. RESULTS. The findings suggest that, even after adjusting for severity of injury, older age, female gender, and a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome or back/neck sprain significantly predict longer duration of disability. Other predictors that were stable and significant, but involved lower magnitudes of effect included divorced marital status, firm size of fewer than 50 employees, higher country unemployment rates, and construction and agricultural work. CONCLUSIONS. Greater disability prevention efforts targeting these higher risk subgroups could have significant economic and public health effects. The greatest impact may be on claimants who remain disabled at 6 months after an injury that did not require hospitalization.

Who retires early and why? Determinants of early retirement pension among Danish employees 57–62 years

“…There seems to be general agreement in the literature on the following associations between workplace factors and work disability: heavy physical labour (Borg and Burr 1997;Krause et al 1997Krause et al , 2001Andersson et al 1983;Danchin et al 1982;Dasinger et al 2000;Høgel-und 2000;Lanier and Stockton 1998;Mackenzie et al 1998;Rønnevik 1988) , repetitive or continuous strain, musculoskeletal strain, uncomfortable working position, and crouching (Krause et al 1997), bending, twisting or working in fixed positions (Bergquist-Ullman and Larsson 1977), and construction work (Cheadle et al 1994). All in all, the literature provides broad evidence that high job demands of various forms constitute an important determinant for work disability and disability retirement, while the scientific evidence directly linking occupational factors and more voluntary early retirement is far more scarce: the Danish unemployment insurance system offers the opportunity of retiring at the age of 60, instead of the normal retirement age of 65 (67 for those aged 60 before July 1st 1999).…”

Benefits and Earnings Losses for Permanently Disabled Workers in California: Trends Through the Great Recession and Impacts of Recent Reforms

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Benefícios auxílio-doença concedidos aos trabalhadores empregados no ramo de carne e pescado no Brasil em 2008

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