Trajectories, Predictors of Return-to-Work, and the Impact of Return-to-Work in Predicting the Quality-of-Life among Workers with Traumatic Limb Injuries

Background: For many workers with traumatic limb injuries, the most important goal of rehabilitation is the early return-to-work (RTW) and the quality-of-life (QOL) maintenance. However, there are many physical, psychological, social, and environmental factors cause the difficulty of RTW and unable to maintain their QOL. To our best knowledge, no previous studies have been conducted a completed follow-up cohort study in order to explore the predictors of RTW in workers with acute traumatic limb injuries. Furthermore, various injured workers are unable to returning their previous work, incapable to modify or adjust their work, and even lay off by the employee, because they are seriously affected in their function of daily activities and the QOL. Objective: The objective of this proposal is conducting a three-year longitudinal cohort study to explore the trajectories and predictors of the workers with traumatic limb injuries. We also examine the impact of different mode of RTW status in predicting workers’QOL after their injuries. Methods: 1200 workers with traumatic limb injuries will be recruited consecutively during their hospital admission in the Orthopedic and Plastic ward within 2 weeks of the traumatic limb injuries. During the first year, the group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) will be adopted to analysis the latent class of this population. Then we conduct the multinominal logistic regression to examine the predictors among different trajectories according to the framework of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health during the second year. At the third year, the impact of different work status in predicting workers’QOL will be further evaluated by using the multiple linear regression analysis of repeated measurements. Anticipated Results: The findings of this proposed study will provide essential knowledge of (1). the trajectory patterns and the difference in workers with traumatic limb injuries, (2). the predictors and the interactions between predictors among different trajectories, (3).the impact of different mode of work status in predicting the workers’QOL. If possible, our proposed study results will enhance better understanding of the goal of RTW rehabilitation and the guidance of policy implication.