WCRI Identifies New Predictors of Worker Outcomes

A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) has identified several predictors for worker outcomes following an injury. The findings from the eight state-specific studies can help public officials, payors and healthcare providers improve treatment and communication for injured workers.

The study, Predictors of Worker Outcomes, identified trust as one of the more important predictors, a quality not previously considered. Workers who feared being fired because of the injury had poorer outcomes when returning to work than those who did not share that concern.

“Better information about the predictors of poorer worker outcomes may allow payors and doctors to better target health care and return-to-work interventions to those most at risk,” said Richard Victor, WCRI's executive director.  

The studies, which were based on telephone interviews with 3,200 injured workers in Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin, also found that workers with specific co-existing conditions had a higher rate of not working at the time of the interviews. Workers with hypertension had a 3% higher rate of not working at the time of the interview due to their injury. Individuals with heart problems were 8% more likely not to be working at the time of the interview due to their injury and had a disability period that was four weeks longer than someone without heart issues.  Workers with diabetes had a 4% higher rate of not working at the time of the interview than their counterparts without diabetes.

The workers were interviewed three years after suffering a workplace injury and had received workers' compensation benefits. WCRI is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, Mass. To puchase the study, go here.