Impact of Chronic Pain Patients' Job Perception Variables on Actual Return to Work

OBJECTIVE:To examine the impact of preinjury job perceptions on chronic pain patients' (CPPs) return to work after pain facility treatment. DESIGN:A total of 128 CPPs completed a series of rating scales and yes/no questions relating to their preinjury job perceptions and a question relating to "intent" to return to the same type of preinjury job following pain facility treatment. These CPPs were part of a grant study for prediction of return to work, and therefore their work status was determined at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 months after treatment. The preinjury job perceptions and other demographic variables were used to predict return to work. Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to predict return to work at the 1-month and final time points utilizing the above variables. Stepwise regression analysis was used to predict mean employment status (at all time points) also using the above variables. SETTING:Multidisciplinary Pain Center. PATIENTS:Consecutive CPPs. RESULTS:For the 1-month time point, employment status was predicted by "intent," educational status, work dangerous perception complaint, job stress, job physical demands, job liking, and job role conflicts. Here, 79.49% of the CPPs were correctly classified. For the final time point, employment status was predicted by the first three predictors for the 1-month time point (in the same order) and age, job stress, and gender. Here, 74.58% of the CPPs were correctly classified. Mean employment status was predicted by "intent" and educational status. CONCLUSIONS:There is a relationship between preinjury job perceptions and actual return to work after pain facility treatment. Voiced "intent" not to return to the preinjury type of job is highly predictive of not returning to work after pain facility treatment.