title: Disability: a new psychosocial perspective.
abstract: A previously disabled family member is presented as a psychosocial determinant in the subsequent disability of the patient. Eighty-three disabled patients presented for an independent medical examination of the upper extremity. All were seeking a workers' compensation settlement or continued workers' compensation benefits. Patients were questioned regarding the current disability of any family member(s). Forty-four of the 83 had at least one family member who was disabled and 36 had experienced a traumatic incident or injury resulting in workers' compensation. Forty-seven had no objective impairment. These findings suggest a significant correlation between the "disabled" support system and subsequent disability of the patient (P < .001).
authors.affiliation: University of Louisville School of Medicine, Kentucky.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Stutts
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kasdan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014942:Workers' Compensation