A Follow-up Study on Return to Work in the Year After Reporting an Occupational Injury Stratified by Outcome of the Workers' Compensation System

OBJECTIVE: To compare return rates to work between different groups according to decision from the workers' compensation.

METHOD: Register data on disability benefits were used to describe return rates to work in Kaplan-Meier curves and association with decision on compensation claims. Disability benefits were granted by the municipalities independently of any compensation claim if sick-listed.

RESULTS: Claimants with ongoing claims were the group with the largest proportion remaining on disability benefits. Claimants with rejected claims returned to work at the same rate (occupational disease) or slower (industrial accident) compared to claimants with recognized claim without compensation the subsequent year and at a faster rate after decision.

CONCLUSIONS: Compensation claims and proceedings of the workers' compensation system probably increase time to return to work, other factors as health and social difficulties, however, may explain some of these differences.