A screening questionnaire to predict no return to work within 3 months for low back pain claimants.
The objective of the present study was to develop a short prediction questionnaire for estimating the risk of no return to work (RTW) within 3 months of sick leave to facilitate triage and management of a patient population of subacute low-back pain (LBP) sufferers. We conducted a prospective study with a 3-month follow-up on 186 patients with LBP introducing a claim for sickness benefits to the largest sickness fund in Belgium. Patients completed a screening questionnaire within 2 weeks after claim submission. All patients were invited for clinical assessment, at 6-8 weeks of sick leave, by the medical adviser. Patients' work status was recorded by the sickness fund. About 20% of the patients did not resume work at 3 months' sick leave. They were more likely to experience pain below the knee, to have an own previous prediction of a 100% no RTW and to have a severe interference of pain on daily activities. The screening tool based on these three items correctly classified 73.7% of the non-resumers and 78.4% of the resumers at a cut-off score of 0.22. The findings of this study provide evidence of the utility of a short screening questionnaire for future use in intervention studies in a social security setting.
Du Bois
Marc
M
Department of Occupational, Environmental and Insurance Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35/5, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
Donceel
Peter
P
Department of Occupational, Environmental and Insurance Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35/5, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. peter.donceel@med.kuleuven.be.
D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014937:Work / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data