Return to Work After Hand Injury: the Role of Medical, Demographic and Psycho-Social Factors

Return to Work After Hand Injury: The Role of Medical, Demographic and Psychosocial Factors

The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of return to work (RTW) after traumatic hand injury and to identify factors that are related to RTW.

RTW is one of the main rehabilitation outcomes after injury, the loss of the ability to work may have psychological as well as economic impact on the injured person. Time off work is also a burden to the economic system, associated with loss of work days, sick leave and national insurance payment. Hand injury can cause limitations in function, therefore influence the ability to work. Review of the literature reveals that time off work after hand injury ranges from a few days to a year and more. Factors associated with time off work include medical, socio-economic and psychosocial factors. Only a few studies have been conducted in Israel to investigate rate of RTW after hand injury and factors that affect RTW . The aim of this study is to explore the extent of RTW after traumatic hand injury and to examine the relationship between several factors - medical, demographic and psychosocial and RTW. This, in order to identify prognostic factors that can be treated during rehabilitation. There is no preliminary hypothesis made about the relationships between the factors and RTW. This study is also retrospective and prospective since it examine individuals under-going occupational therapy treatment and individuals who have been treated in the past.

Inclusion Criteria:

• The individual worked until he/she was injured
• Traumatic hand injury including: wrist fractures, fingers fractures, tendon injury, nerve injury, Crush injury, finger amputation

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non traumatic hand injury (such as CTS)
• Mallet finger
• Burns
• Injury in several organs