title: National health insurance consumption and chronic symptoms following mild neck sprain injuries in car collisions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To map the extent of sick leave and number of claims made for health insurance among persons who had suffered neck sprain (whiplash) injuries in traffic accidents, and to map subjective feeling of health and quality of life among patients several years after the injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of neck sprain injuries after car accidents and a comparison to the patients' use of sick leave caused by neck pain prior to the accident.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Emergency Clinic at The University Hospital in Trondheim, Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  426 patients with neck sprain injuries after car accidents during 1985-1990.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information from Trondheim Social Security office about sick leave, and results from 345 patients who answered a questionnaire with respect to quality of life measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  27% had been reported sick during the period after the car accident, and 5% had claimed health insurance, 58% reported sustained symptoms linked to the accident.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many reported sustained symptoms after neck sprain injuries, 16% of them reported being in a bad state of health.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Clinic, University Hospital in Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Borchgrevink
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lereim
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Røyneland
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bjørndal
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Haraldseth
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018868:Insurance, Disability / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation