Development of a brief questionnaire to predict long-term disability.

Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah; Stover, Bert D; Turner, Judith A; Sheppard, Lianne; Gluck, Jeremy V; Wickizer, Thomas M; Franklin, Gary M · J Occup Environ Med · 2008

prospective_cohort · Level II

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Abstract

To develop a brief worker-completed questionnaire for use soon after a work-related back injury to assess risk of long-term work disability. In this prospective cohort study, 1885 workers provided information about pain, function, psychosocial, and work characteristics about 3 weeks after filing claims for new back injuries. Classification and regression tree analysis was used to identify the best predictive model of work disability status 1 year after claim submission. Pain interference with ability to work (>5, 0 to 10 scale), not currently working, and radiating leg pain comprised the best model which accurately classified 77% of the workers. A brief questionnaire assessing pain interference with work, current work status, and radiating leg pain might be useful in assessing risk of long-term work disability due to back injury.

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