J Korean Med Sci.  2013 Nov;28(11):1581-1586. 10.3346/jkms.2013.28.11.1581.

Return-to-Work According to Impairment Type Among Occupationally Injured Workers in Korea

• Rhie J
• Jeong I
• Won JU

• KMID: 1777653
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2013.28.11.1581

Abstract

This study examined the association between return-to-work and impairment type. Database of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service was used to identify disabled persons; and return-to-work information was obtained from the Korea Employment Information Services database. The study participants were 79,328 persons who received Workers' compensation and who were confirmed as disabled during 2009-2011. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between return-to-work and impairment type, adjusted by age, sex, impairment severity, pre-injury businesses size, and pre-injury occupational category. Compared to injuries of the upper limbs, the odds ratio of return-to-work was 0.63 (95% CI, 0.60-0.65) for injuries involving the lower limbs, 0.62 (95% CI, 0.59-0.66) for the spine, 0.75 (95% CI, 0.66-0.86) for the eyes, 0.98 (95% CI, 0.77-1.25) for the oral cavity, 0.44 (95% CI, 0.37-0.53) for the ears, 1.02 (95% CI, 0.83-1.25) for the figure, 0.75 (95% CI, 0.72-0.79) for pain, and 0.36 (95% CI, 0.32-0.41) for neuropsychiatric impairment. These findings indicate that impairment type influences return-to-work rates.

Keyword

Return to Work; Disabled Persons; Occupational Injuries; Workers' Compensation, Disability

MeSH Terms

Adult
Disability Evaluation
Disabled Persons/*rehabilitation
Employment
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Occupational Injuries/*rehabilitation
Occupations
Rehabilitation, Vocational
Republic of Korea
Return to Work/*statistics & numerical data
Workers' Compensation/statistics & numerical data

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