title: Health status and the return to work after traffic accidents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to compare the health status of traffic accident victims, at hospital discharge and after six months, and to analyze the predictive variables of their health status and return to work.
  
  
  METHODS
  observational, longitudinal study. Data were collected through interviews and medical records of 102 patients with a mean age of 33 years; with the majority being men and victims of motorcycle accidents. The variables were analyzed by means of validated tools, student's t-test, multiple linear regression, and logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  there was an improvement of perception in the patients' health status six months after hospital discharge and functional capacity. The individuals who returned to work showed better health-related quality of life evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  improvement of the perceived health status six months after hospital discharge was found. Factors that influenced the patients' return to work were not identified.
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem Especializada, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniele Alcalá
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Pompeo
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: Márcia Aparecida
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ciol
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Glendha Oliveira
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Arduini
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem Geral e Especializada, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosana Aparecida Spadoti
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eva Claudia Venâncio de
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Senne
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem Geral e Especializada, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lídia Aparecida
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge; D062707:Return to Work; D013997:Time Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*