Citation

Izadi N, Jamshidi S, Mehrdad R, Nasibi E. Hand Surg. Rehabil. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Center for Research on Occupational Disease, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No. 226, Qods St., Keshavarz Blvd., 1416753955 Tehran, Iran.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.hansur.2020.01.009

PMID

32112867

Abstract

Work-related hand injuries are the primary cause of disability and prolonged time away from work. This prospective cohort study was conducted to determine the predictors of return to work (RTW) after traumatic work-related hand injuries. Our study included 280 patients who were referred to the Plastic and Reconstructive Center for treatment of their occupational hand injuries from July 2017 to February 2018. Several functional questionnaires were completed, and they were followed up at 1, 3 and 8 weeks. Telephone interviews were done 3 months later. Approximately half the subjects had returned to work during the first 3 months after a median time away of 57 days. No relationship was found between age, gender, marital status, hand dominance and RTW time. Nevertheless, there was correlation between RTW time with cigarette smoking, injury severity and disability. Our study findings suggest that injury severity and higher work disability scores are prognostic factors for RTW. Also smoking was associated with later RTW, which could be the result of poor circulation and delayed healing. Employers should implement injury prevention programs with appropriate rehabilitation that takes into consideration the severity of the hand injury, and health strategies to improve unhealthy lifestyle factors such as smoking.

Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Language: en

Keywords

Disability; Handicap; Retour au travail; Return to work; Traumatismes de la main liés au travail; Work-related hand injury