Factors associated with return to work following a hand injury: a qualitative/quantitative approach

Objectives: To describe workers who returned to work after a hand injury and to analyze the factors associated with this outcome three years after discharge from rehabilitation. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out with triangulation of quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative analysis used a database with sociodemographic, functional and clinical information on 35 individuals who were classified into two groups (return/no return to work). Multivariate analysis was conducted using the CART (Classification and Regression Tree) algorithm to assess the predictive value of four models, thereby identifying workers who had returned or not returned to work. Using the results from the statistical analysis, a semi-structured form was prepared for interviews, which were conducted with seven workers randomly selected from the sample. Results: Out of the 35 workers who participated in this study, 30 returned and five did not return to work. The majority were male, married and of low educational level, and the mean age was 37 years. The variables with the greatest predictive power were grip strength, occupational performance scores, occupational category and age. The qualitative analysis confirmed the multifactorial nature of the return to work and demonstrated that the presence of a professional to follow-up the process, adjustments to the workstation and working hours (to enable treatment continuity) and also accident benefits may contribute to a successful return. Conclusions: This study showed the complexity of the return to work by workers with hand injuries, highlighting a number of factors associated with this outcome and the importance of individualized assessment centered on the worker.