COMPENSATION, WORK STATUS, AND DISABILITY IN LOW-BACK-PAIN PATIENTS

Study Design. A prospectively designed study was performed to assess t he influence of employment status and a compensation claim on patients experiencing low back pain. Objectives, To determine the factor that most influences disability arising from low back pain, unemployment Or a compensation claim. Summary of Background Data, Two hundred sixty-n ine consecutive patients were assessed from a low back pain clinic. Me thods, Disability was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Score, an d employment, and compensation status were recorded, Results. Both une mployment and patients involved in compensation had higher disability scores. However, by controlling the data for employment and assessing only the compensation group it was found that those claiming compensat ion, but still working had significantly less disability than those cl aiming compensation Conclusions. Both unemployment and compensation cl aims influence disability, but employment status is the most important factor.