title: Evaluation of the return to work and its duration after myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The evaluation of the ability for return to work among patients after myocardial infarction (MI) is subject to controversy. Understanding various factors, which may affect return to work process, will help in promoting effective communication between physicians and patients. Return to work is dependent on such factors as patients' functional capacity, MI expansion, cardiac muscle function, some psychiatric variables, job satisfaction, economic status, and age. In this study, we aimed to assess the frequency of return to work after first MI attack, and factors affecting it.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a follow-up study performed in Yazd, Iran from September 2007 until September 2010 on 200 patients suffering from their first MI attack. Patients were assessed 6 months and 1-year after MI regarding their cardiac function. Job satisfaction was evaluated by Direct Support Professional job satisfaction questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-seven percent of MI patients returned to work after 1-year. Mean time for return to work was 46.00 ± 4.12 days. Sixty percent of patients returned to work during the first 50 days after MI and 50% of them during 40 days after MI. The most common reason for not returning to work was patient's decision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that a considerable numbers of patients returned to work after 1-year. The only factors which affected the rate of return to work were left ventricular function after MI and job satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed Jalil
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mirmohammadi
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Cardiology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed Mahmoud
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sadr-Bafghi
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir Houshang
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mehrparvar
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gharavi
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Davari
authors.affiliation: PhD Candidate, Industrial Related Diseases Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahaloo
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mostaghaci
authors.affiliation: Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sadr-Bafghi
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Pedram
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shokouh
keywords: Job Satisfaction; Left Ventricular Function; Myocardial Infarction; Return to Work