Back Pain Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Back Pain, including details on lower back pain, sciatica, treatment, prevention, medication.

Measuring work disability: what can administrative data tell us about patient outcomes?

Fulton-Kehoe D, Gluck J, Wu R, Mootz R, Wickizer TM, Franklin GM

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98103, USA. debfk@u.washington.edu

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between administrative measures of work disability and self-reported work, pain, and functional status. METHODS: We conducted baseline and follow-up interviews to assess pain, functional status, work status, and demographic factors in workers with low back injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, and upper and lower extremity fractures. Administrative measures of work disability were obtained from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. RESULTS: Pain intensity and impairment levels were lowest in those who had not received any disability payments, somewhat higher for those who were no longer receiving time loss benefits, and highest for workers receiving time loss payments at the time of interview. CONCLUSIONS: Administrative measures of work disability are significantly associated with self-reported outcomes and can be an efficient tool for tracking and evaluating outcomes of medical treatments, surgical procedures, and occupational health programs.

Published 12 June 2007 in J Occup Environ Med, 49(6): 651-8.
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