Affiliations: [a] The Wesley Research Institute, Queensland, Australia | [b] Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Tamara D. Street, %Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Wesley Research Institute, PO Box 499, Toowong, QLD 4066, Australia. Tel.: +61 7 3721 1706; Fax: +61 7 3721 1590; E-mail:tstreet@wesleyresearch.com.au
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Injuries occurring in the workplace can have serious implications for the
health of the individual, the productivity of the employer and the overall
economic community. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to increase the current state of
understanding of individual demographic and psychosocial characteristics
associated with extended absenteeism from the workforce due to a workplace
injury. METHODS: Studies included in this systematic literature review tracked participants'
return to work status over a minimum of three months, identified either
demographic, psychosocial or general injury predictors of poor return to
work outcomes and included a heterogeneous sample of workplace injuries. RESULTS: Identified predictors of poor return to work outcomes included older age,
female gender, divorced marital status, two or more dependent family
members, lower education levels, employment variables associated with
reduced labour market desirability, severity or sensitive injury locations,
negative attitudes and outcome perceptions of the participant. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for clear and consistent definition and measurement of
return to work outcomes and a holistic theoretical model integrating injury,
psychosocial and demographic predictors of return to work. Through greater
understanding of the nature of factors affecting return to work, improved
outcomes could be achieved.
Keywords: Systematic review, return to work, occupational rehabilitation, workplace injury, predictors of return to work, injury outcome
