title: Making a successful return to work: the UK burden of injury multicentre longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Injuries are common and make a significant contribution to sickness absence, but little is known about problems experienced by injured people on return to work (RTW).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To quantify work problems on RTW and explore predictors of such problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicentre longitudinal study in four UK hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study of injured participants aged 16-65 years who were employed or self-employed prior to the injury and had RTW at 1 or 4 months post injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 1 month, most (59%) had only made a partial RTW. By 4 months, 80% had fully RTW. Those who had partially RTW had problems related to physical tasks (work limited for median of 25% of time at 1 month, 18% at 4 months), time management (10% at 1 month, 20% at 4 months) and output demands (10% at 1 month, 15% at 4 months). Productivity losses were significantly greater among those with partial than full RTW at 1 month (median 3.3% versus 0.9%, P<0.001) and 4 months (median 4.6% versus 1.1% P = 0.03). Moderate/severe injuries (relative risk [RR] 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.35 to 2.77) and sports injuries (RR 1.73, 95% CI = 1.12 to 2.67) were associated with significantly greater productivity losses at 1 month while pre-existing long-term illnesses (RR 2.12, 95% CI = 1.38 to 3.27) and upper limb injuries (RR 1.64, 95% CI = 1.06 to 2.53) were at 4 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Injuries impact on successful RTW for at least 4 months. Those who have only partially RTW experience the most problems and GPs should pay particular attention to identifying work problems in this group and ways of minimising such problems.
authors.affiliation: Division of Primary Care, University of Nottingham, Nottingham. denise.kendrick@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kendrick
authors.forename: Yana
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vinogradova
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coupland
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Christie
authors.forename: Ronan A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Towner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004651:Employment; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014852:Wales; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D055815:Young Adult