Time of return to work and associated factors in rib fracture victims

Abstract

Background: Rib fracture is one of the leading causes of trauma-related deaths globally. The time elapsed to return to work (RTW) following the injury is an important indicator of treatment outcomes. It is subject to the influences of the complications of the injury. The aim of this study was to determine the time of RTW and the associated factors in patients with rib fractures. Methods: This is a retrospective study, in which the sociodemographic variables including age, sex, marital status, residency, and clinical conditions (the type of accident, days of hospitalization, having surgery, Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS], and the number of rib fractures) were obtained from the database. The variables related to RTW were obtained through telephone interviews. We performed a survival analysis to evaluate the time of RTW of 193 victims with rib fractures managed during 2017 and 2018 in Poursina Hospital in Rasht, Iran. We used the Cox regression to determine the factors associated with the time of RTW. Results: The mean time of RTW was 18.80 ± 11.405 weeks and 97.9% of the victims returned to work. The age of the victims, length of hospitalization, GCS, and type of work were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with the time of RTW. Conclusion: Improving the interventions for the older adults and for those with long-term hospitalization, and low GCS, as well as strengthening preventive measures for victims with high risk of accidental trauma can effectively increase the rate of RTW.