Occupational Medicine 1985;35:114-117
© 1985 Society of Occupational Medicine
research-article |
Return to Work following Limb Injuries*
Department of Epidemiology, The University of Michigan School of Public Health Ann Arbor, USA
Motivation for work, level of physical disability, period of incapacity, completion of an employment rehabilitation course and unemployment in the general population are the major determinants of an early return to stable employment in the disabled. In a study of 350 men and 29 women with limb injuries who were discharged from three rehabilitation centres, those with only soft tissue injuries were less disabled, incapacitated for shorter periods and completed employment rehabilitation courses compared with those with fractures, dislocations or amputations. There was, however, no association between the type of injury and motivation for work. Return to work after rehabilitation was unrelated to the type or site of injury. In this group of patients, motivation for work appeared to have a greater influence on the outcome of rehabilitation than other known predictors
Requests for reprints should be addressed to:Dr K. Sheikh, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 109, Observatory Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.