title: Predictors for Return to Work in Subjects with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.
abstract: Objective. To predict return to work (RTW) at 12 months for patients who either were sick-listed or were at risk to be sick-listed with persistent postconcussion symptoms (PCS) at six to eight weeks after injury. Method. A prospective cohort study of 151 patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) admitted consecutively to outpatient clinics at two University Hospitals in Norway. The study was conducted as part of a randomised clinical trial. Injury characteristics were obtained from the medical records. Sick leave data from one year before to one year after MTBI were obtained from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service. Self-report questionnaires were used to obtain demographic and symptom profiles. Results. We observed a significant negative association between RTW at 12 months and psychological distress, global functioning, and being sick-listed at two months after MTBI, as well as having been sick-listed the last year before injury. Conclusion. Psychological distress, global functioning postinjury, and the sick leave trajectory of the subjects were negative predictors for RTW. These findings should be taken into consideration when evaluating future vocational rehabilitation models.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway; Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Eirik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vikane
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Torgeir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hellstrøm
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Cecilie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Røe
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, 0424 Oslo, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bautz-Holter
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aßmus
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway; Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Jan Sture
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Skouen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D062707:Return to Work / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D018582:Sick Leave; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires