Employment status after traumatic brain injury and the effect of concomitant injuries on return to work

ABSTRACT

Purpose

This study aims to describe the employment status and pattern among survivors of traumatic brain injury after motor vehicle accidents, and to explore the effects of demographic, injury variables and concomitant injuries on the employment status .

Method

A retrospective analyses of 370 medical reports written for patients who sustained traumatic brain injury from motor vehicle accidents was conducted. To establish the employment pattern, the pre-injury employment history was compared to the latest employment status documented. Types and severity of concomitant injuries were rated according to Abbreviated Injury Scale criteria. All significant variables were further analyzed using logistic regression to explore predictors of employment.

Results

Up to 87% of the patients sustained concomitant injuries, with more than two-thirds (72%) scoring ≤ 2 on the Abbreviated Injury Scale. One hundred and eighty-two patients (49.2%) successfully returned to work. Among those who returned to work, 34% returned to former employment with pre-injury job description. Severity of traumatic brain injury, length of acute hospital stay, ambulation status and cognitive status were found to be significant predictive factors for employment status post traumatic brain injury. Presence of concomitant extremity injuries was found to influence the employment pattern among traumatic brain injury survivors.

Conclusion

The return to work rate was somewhat low and was not influenced by presence of concomitant injuries. .

KEYWORDS:

• Employment
• traumatic brain injury
• concomitant injury
• return to work

Acknowledgments

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.