Assessment of the factors affecting the loss of workforce in patients with traumatic hand injury

Year 2022, , 303 - 307, 31.10.2022

Kardelen Gencer Atalay Merve Demırcı Ozgur Baysal Canan Sanal Toprak

https://doi.org/10.5472/marumj.1186710

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the factors affecting the loss of workforce, including the time to return to work and workrelated
situations in patients with traumatic hand injury who were taken to a hand rehabilitation program.
Materials and Methods: The patients aged between 18-65 years with a history of traumatic hand injury in the last five years were
analyzed retrospectively. Demographic and clinic data were taken from the medical records, and work-related problems were obtained
by telephone calls. The severity of hand injury was assessed with Modified Hand Injury Severity Score (MHISS).
Results: A total of 147 patients (129 males, 18 females; mean age 39.83±10.4 years) were included. The duration of return to work
was correlated with total MHISS (rho=0.262 p=0.003) while not related to age, education level, gender, or injured hand’s dominance
(p>0.05). Duration of return to work after hand injury and total MHISS were lower in the patients who had job modifications
(p<0.001, p=0.002). Job modification rate, salary reduction, and patient-reported hand dexterity loss were higher in patients with
work-related injuries (p<0.05).
Conclusion: This study highlighted that the increasing severity of hand injury caused a prolonged time to return to work, or job scope
changes.

Keywords

Hand injury, Modified Hand Injury Severity Score, Return to work, workplace engagement

References

• Saxena P, Cutler L, Feldberg L. Assessment of the severity of hand injuries using ‘hand injury severity score’, and its correlation with the functional outcome. Injury 2004; 3:511- 6. doi: 10.1016/S0020-1383(03)00211-0.
• Shi Q, Sinden K, MacDermid JC, Walton D, Grewal R. A systematic review of prognostic factors for return to work following work-related traumatic hand injury. J Hand Ther 2014; 27:55-62. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2013.10.001.
• Urso-Baiarda F, Lyons RA, Laing J, Brophy S, Wareham K, Camp D. A prospective evaluation of the Modified Hand Injury Severity Score in predicting return to work. Int J Surg 2008; 6:45-50. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2007.09.001.
• Cabral L, Sampaio RF, Figueiredo IM, Mancini MC. Factors associated with return to work following a hand injury: a qualitative/quantitative approach. Rev Bras Fisioter 2010; 14:149-57.
• Chang J-H, Wu M, Lee C-L, Guo Y-L, Chiu H-Y. Correlation of return to work outcomes and hand impairment measures among workers with traumatic hand injury. J Occup Rehab 2011; 21:9-16. doi: 10.1007/s10926.010.9246-4.
• Çapkın S, Cavit A, Yılmaz K, Erdoğan E, Kaleli T. Associations between initial injury severity in acute hand, wrist or forearm injuries and disability ratings and time to return to work. Turkish Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery 2020; 26:453-61. doi: 10.14744/tjtes.2019.40524.
• Campbell D, Kay S. The hand injury severity scoring system. J Hand Surg Am 1996; 21:295-8. doi: 10.1016/s0266- 7681(05)80187-1.
• Watts A, Greenstock M, Cole R. Outcome following the rehabilitation of hand trauma patients: The importance of a subjective functional assessment. J Hand Surg Am 1998; 23:485-9. doi: 10.1016/s0266-7681(98)80128-9.
• Wong JY. Time off work in hand injury patients. J Hand Surg 2008; 33:718-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2008.01.015.
• Mink Van Der Molen A, Ettema A, Hovius S. Outcome of hand trauma: the hand injury severity scoring system (HISS) and subsequent impairment and disability. J Hand Surg Am 2003; 28:295-9. doi: 10.1016/s0266-7681(03)00082-2.
• Feuerstein M, Huang GD, Ortiz JM, Shaw WS, Miller VI, Wood PM. Integrated case management for work-related upper-extremity disorders: impact of patient satisfaction on health and work status. J Occup Environ Med 2003; 45:803- 12. doi: 10.1097/01.jom.000.007.9091.95532.92.
• Opsteegh L, Reinders-Messelink HA, Schollier D, et al. Determinants of return to work in patients with hand disorders and hand injuries. J Occup Rehabil 2009; 19:245-55. doi: 10.1007/s10926.009.9181-4.
• Neutel N, Houpt P, Schuurman AH. Prognostic factors for return to work and resumption of other daily activities after traumatic hand injury. J Hand Surg (European volume) 2019; 44:203-207. doi: 10.1177/175.319.3418812645.
• Grunert Bk, Dzwierzynski Ww. Prognostic factors for return to work following severe hand injuries. Tech Hand Up Extrem Surg 1997; 1:213-8. doi: 10.1097/00130.911.199709000-00008.
• Rusch MD, Dzwierzynski WW, Sanger JR, Pruit NT, Siewert AD. Return to work outcomes after work-related hand trauma: the role of causal attributions. J