title: The value of preemployment roentgenographs for predicting acute back injury claims and chronic back pain disability.
abstract: Preemployment roentgenographs have long been used in industry to screen job applicants. Roentgenographs have had little effect, however, in curbing the cost of back problems in industry. This study evaluates the capabilities of preemployment roentgenographs for predicting acute back injury claims within the longshoring industry and for predicting back problems that lead to back disability of more than six months. The data indicate that lumbosacral roentgenographs are not helpful in predicting who is more likely to make a back injury claim, or those few who make up the vast majority of the costs for industrial back pain by becoming disabled for more than six months. Lumbosacral roentgenographs have little link to back disorders and may be viewed as discriminatory. The radiation exposure is not justified by their predictive value as a preemployment screening tool.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bigos
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hansson
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Beecher
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Wortley
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D019567:Back Injuries; D001416:Back Pain; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004651:Employment; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007586:Job Application; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*