Graded work exposure to promote work return after severe hand trauma: a replicated study.
Fifty-one patients with posttraumatic stress disorder after work-related hand injuries were placed on a graded work exposure program to facilitate return to work. These patients consisted of an initial group of 25 patients and a replication group of 26 patients. The program returned 92% of the initial group and 88% of the replicated group to work with their previous employers. At 6-month follow-up, 88% of the initial group and 80.1% of the replication group were still working full-time at the jobs to which they had returned. All of the patients not working with their previous employer at follow-up had appraisal/projected flash-backs, which have previously been associated with a 90% failure to return to work. This intervention was successful with 73% of the patients experiencing such flashbacks. In conclusion, graded work exposure was an effective treatment to promote return to work for patients experiencing significant psychological symptomatology after severe hand injury.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
B K
BK
Grunert
C A
CA
Devine
C J
CJ
Smith
H S
HS
Matloub
J R
JR
Sanger
N J
NJ
Yousif
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*