title: Ankle fractures and employment: a life-changing event for patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ankle fractures, one of the most common types of orthopaedic injury, have been associated with reduced functional outcome and significant changes in long-term employment. Although information on unemployment following ankle fractures can be important in cases of financial compensation, no studies have investigated rates of short-term disability and employment status among patients who have suffered isolated ankle fractures in the US.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 573 medical charts for patients who were treated for ankle fractures in the last 3 years at a level I trauma center. A total of 83 non-elderly patients that had isolated ankle fractures were contacted and surveyed over the phone. Patients were asked about employment history and current status, disability, type of fracture, and demographic information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three (62%) patients contacted were employed at the time of injury. In all, 34% (n = 18) of patients lost their job because of their injury, of which only 8 (44%) received new employment. A total of 15% (n = 8) of patients that were previously employed decided to no longer return to work. Ten patients (56%) received disability status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ankle fracture patients are likely to suffer high rates of unemployment or disability shortly after their injury. Further investigations with a larger-scale, randomized patient population can provide important information on employment status following ankle fractures.
authors.affiliation: The Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Institute Center for Health Policy, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, TN , USA.
authors.forename: Rachel V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Thakore
authors.forename: Benjamin S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Hooe
authors.forename: Perrin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Considine
authors.forename: Vasanth
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sathiyakumar
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Onuoha
authors.forename: Julian K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hinson
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Obremskey
authors.forename: Manish K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sethi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D064386:Ankle Fractures / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062707:Return to Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ankle; orthopaedic; trauma