title: Return to work following mild traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine factors relating to return to work (RTW) following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and nine patients (Age: M = 37.4 years, SD = 13.2; 52.3% women) who sustained an mTBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inception cohort design with questionnaires and neuropsychological testing completed approximately 3 to 4 weeks postinjury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Emergency Department of Tampere University Hospital, Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-report (postconcussion symptoms, depression, fatigue, and general health) and neurocognitive measures (attention and memory).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cumulative RTW rates were as follows: 1 week = 46.8%, 2 weeks = 59.6%, 3 weeks = 67.0%, 4 weeks = 70.6%, 2 months = 91.7%, and 1 year = 97.2%. Four variables were significant predictors of the number of days to RTW: age, multiple bodily injuries, intracranial abnormality at the day of injury, and fatigue ratings (all P < .001). The largest amount of variance accounted for by these variables in the prediction of RTW was at 30 days following injury (P < .001, R = 0.504). Participants who returned to work fewer than 30 days after injury (n = 82, 75.2%) versus more than 30 days (n = 27, 24.8%) did not differ on demographic or neuropsychological variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The vast majority of this cohort returned to work within 2 months. Predictors of slower RTW included age, multiple bodily injuries, intracranial abnormality at the day of injury, and fatigue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland (Ms Wäljas and Dr Öhman); University of Tampere Medical School, Tampere, Finland (Ms Wäljas and Drs Hartikainen, Dastidar, Soimakallio, and Öhman); Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, and Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Iverson); Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, Bethesda, Maryland (Dr Lange); Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland (Dr Lange); Department of Neurosciences and Rehabilitation and Emergency Department Acuta, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland (Dr Liimatainen); and Medical Imaging Centre of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Finland (Drs Dastidar and Soimakallio).
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wäljas
authors.forename: Grant L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Iverson
authors.forename: Rael T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Suvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liimatainen
authors.forename: Kaisa M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hartikainen
authors.forename: Prasun
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dastidar
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soimakallio
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ohman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D062707:Return to Work; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed