Abstract
The purpose of this study was to predict post-settlement pain intensity, psychological distress, disability, and financial struggle among African American (n=580) and non-Hispanic Caucasian (n=892) Workers' Compensation claimants with single incident low back injury. The study was a population-based telephone survey conducted in three population centers in Missouri. Post-settlement outcomes were predicted from claimant demographics (race, age, gender); socioeconomic status (SES); diagnosis and legal representation; and Workers' Compensation resolution variables (treatment costs, temporary disability status, disability rating, settlement costs). Simultaneous-entry, hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses indicated that African American race and lower SES predicted higher levels of post-settlement pain intensity, psychological distress (general mental health, pain-related catastrophizing), disability (pain-related role interference), and financial struggle, independent of age, gender, diagnosis, legal representation, and Workers' Compensation resolution variables. The results suggest that African American race and lower SES - relative to Caucasian race and higher SES - are risk factors for poor outcomes after occupational low back injury. Mechanisms to explain these associations are discussed, including patient-level, provider-level, legal, and Workers' Compensation system-level factors.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 462-472 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Pain |
Volume | 114 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 2005 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Back injuries
- Disability evaluation
- Employment
- Health services research
- Healthcare disparities
- Race
- Socioeconomic factors
- Treatment outcomes
- Workers' compensation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neurology
- Clinical Neurology
- Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine