title: Underreporting work absences for nontraumatic work-related musculoskeletal disorders to workers' compensation: results of a 2007-2008 survey of the Québec working population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined underestimation of nontraumatic work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) stemming from underreporting to workers' compensation (WC).
  
  
  METHODS
  In data from the 2007 to 2008 Québec Survey on Working and Employment Conditions and Occupational Health and Safety we estimated, among nonmanagement salaried employees (NMSEs) (1) the prevalence of WMSDs and resulting work absence, (2) the proportion with WMSD-associated work absence who filed a WC claim, and (3) among those who did not file a claim, the proportion who received no replacement income. We modeled factors associated with not filing with multivariate logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen percent of NMSEs reported a WMSD, among whom 22.3% were absent from work. More than 80% of those absent did not file a WC claim, and 31.4% had no replacement income. Factors associated with not filing were higher personal income, higher seniority, shorter work absence, and not being unionized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high level of WMSD underreporting highlights the limits of WC data for surveillance and prevention. Without WC benefits, injured workers may have reduced job protection and access to rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Scientific Group on Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders, Québec Institute of Public Health, Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stock
authors.forename: Nektaria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nicolakakis
authors.forename: Hicham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Raïq
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Messing
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lippel
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turcot
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*