Affiliations: Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC,
Canada | Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, QC,
Canada
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Marc Corbière, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor, Université de Sherbrooke (campus de Longueuil),
École de réadaptation, CAPRIT, 1111, St Charles Ouest #101,
Longueuil QC J4K 5G4, Canada. Tel.: +1 450 463 1835 #61601; Fax: +1 450 674
5237; E-mail: Marc.Corbiere@USherbrooke.ca
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The evolution of musculoskeletal disorders and the
adjustment to its consequences is a complex, multidimensional process
determined by biopsychosocial factors. Despite the plethora of research in this
field, little consensus has emerged about its main risk factors. The aims of
the present study are to investigate the capacity of biopsychosocial variables
to predict active involvement in a return to work process. PARTICIPANTS: A sample (N=62) of workers with mostly chronic
occupational injuries receiving compensation benefits from the CSST [Quebec
Workers' Compensation Board] was recruited. METHODS: Questionnaires were administered at baseline and subjects
were followed prospectively and assessed again after 2 and 8 months. RESULTS: The variables under investigation were: age, gender,
duration of symptoms, pain severity, disability, work importance, work support,
work satisfaction, recovery expectations, depression, anxiety, global distress
severity index, post-traumatic symptoms and readiness to change. After
multivariate analysis, we found gender, work recovery expectations and
importance of work to be predictive of work outcomes at 2 months. After 8
months, age, medical consolidation, trauma symptoms, work support and
importance of work were predictive of work outcomes. CONCLUSION: The results show the importance of addressing chronic
work disability in research and rehabilitation from a multidimensional
perspective although psychosocial variables were the most significant
predictors in this study.
Keywords: Prognostic factors, musculoskeletal, work disability, psychosocial
