Details:

Alternative Title:
Am J Ind Med
Publisher's site:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23289
Personal Author:
Sears, Jeanne M. ; Edmonds, Amy T. ; MacEachen, Ellen ; Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah
Sears, Jeanne M. ; Edmonds, Amy T. ; MacEachen, Ellen ; Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah Less -
Description:
Background:

Following a work-related permanent impairment, injured workers commonly face barriers to safe and successful return to work (RTW). Examining workers’ experiences with the workers’ compensation (WC) system could highlight opportunities to improve RTW outcomes. Objectives included summarizing workers’: (1) appraisal of several WC-based RTW programs, and (2) suggestions for vocational rehabilitation and WC system improvements to promote safe and sustained RTW.

Methods:

In telephone interviews, 582 Washington State workers with work-related permanent impairments were asked whether participation in specified WC-based RTW programs helped them RTW and/or stay at work. Suggestions for program and system improvements were solicited using open-ended questions; qualitative content analysis methods were used to inductively code responses.

Results:

Most respondents reported positive impacts from RTW program participation; e.g., 62.5% of vocational rehabilitation participants reported it helped them RTW, and 51.7% reported it helped them stay at work. Among 582 respondents, 28.0% reported that no change was needed to the WC system, while 57.6% provided suggestions/critiques. Reduce delays/simplify process/improve efficiency was the most frequent WC system theme—mentioned by 34.9%. Among 120 vocational rehabilitation participants, 35.8% reported that no change was needed to vocational rehabilitation, while 46.7% (N=56) provided suggestions/critiques. More worker choice/input into the vocational retraining plan was the most frequent vocational rehabilitation theme—mentioned by 33.9%.

Conclusions:

This study’s findings suggest that there is substantial room for improvement in workers’ experience with the WC system. In addition, injured workers’ feedback may reflect opportunities to reduce administrative burden and to improve worker health and RTW outcomes.


Subjects:
[+]
Administrative Burden Article Humans Job Accommodation Occupational Injuries Permanent Impairment Permanent Partial Disability Rehabilitation, Vocational Reinjuries Return To Work Surveys And Questionnaires Unemployment Vocational Rehabilitation Washington Workers' Compensation Workers’ Compensation
Source:
Am J Ind Med. 64(11):924-940
Pubmed ID:
34462931
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC8500921
Document Type:
Journal Article
Funding:
R21 OH011355/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/ ; T42 OH008433/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/
R21 OH011355/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/ ; T42 OH008433/OH/NIOSH CDC HHSUnited States/ Less -
Collection(s):
CDC Public Access
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:e3e73983991943a39973f6690cae5389055bae2b58b3b89f46f34f58dbfa9f7c
Download URL:
https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/110556/cdc_110556_DS1.pdf
File Type:

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