title: Can the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire predict work status in people with work-related musculoskeletal disorders?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the predictive validity of fear avoidance beliefs as assessed by the Work Subscale (FABQ-W) of the Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire in a sample of 117 patients with a work-related musculoskeletal disorder, and identify two FABQ-W cut off points that identified participants as high or low risk of non return to work, following an interdisciplinary rehabilitation program.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of patient data collected in conjunction with the Victorian Workcover Authority "Sprains and Strains" program. Sequential logistic regression analysis was used to construct a model of prediction from the baseline variables of age, disability (using the Pain Disability Index), gender and FABQ-W scores. Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify FABQ-W cut off points that best predicted the return to work outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age and initial FABQ-W scores significantly improved the predictive capabilities of the model, but gender and disability did not. The model explained between 13.1% and 18.2% of the variability in the RTW outcome. ROC curves showed maximum sensitivity was 100% for a score of ≤ 27.5, with a score of > 39.5 identified as having optimum specificity (81.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with low FABQ-W scores are likely to return to work, however those with high scores will not necessarily have a poor outcome. This study supports the limited utility of the FABQ-W score for screening for risk of a poor return to work outcome in patients with a work related musculoskeletal disorder.
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, LaTrobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. holden.jason@yahoo.com.au
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tam
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation