title: On-site work evaluations: desensitisation for avoidance reactions following severe hand injuries.
abstract: This study examined on-site work evaluations as an environmental exposure strategy to promote return to work in 15 recalcitrant patients who had failed to benefit from established methods of reducing post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Following the on-site work evaluation, 87% of these patients were able to use visualisation of the work setting to further desensitize themselves and returned to work within the next eight weeks. All 87% have continued to be employed at six and twelve month follow-ups. This approach holds promise for assisting patients with hand injuries who develop post-traumatic stress disorder and fail to respond to traditional psychological strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Grunert
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McCallum-Burke
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Matloub
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sanger
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Yousif
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000628:therapy*