A Survey of Injured Worker Outcomes in Wisconsin

Abstract

Outcomes for Wisconsin workers who had disabilities resulting from injuries that they sustained in 1983 were examined three years later. Variables taken from rehabilitation literature which have demonstrated association with injured worker outcomes were analyzed in terms of their relationship with each other and with outcome, in order to ascertain the best model of interactive variables which would explain outcome. Variables included in the analysis were outcome (unemployment/employment), locus of control, unemployment rate (above average/below average), rehabilitation worker involvement, marital status and change (pre- and post-injury), education, age, litigation involvement, length of healing, and percentage of permanent disability. The best model contained interactions between external locus of control and high unemployment areas, poor outcome (unemployment) and external locus of control, poor outcome and lengthy healing periods, and external locus of control and lengthy healing periods.