Following a traumatic injury, return to work (RTW) can be a strong indicator of recovery and rehabilitation and can play a key role in promoting physical and functional recovery.
But how does RTW after traumatic injury affect mental health recovery, particularly in individuals suffering from social and economic marginalization?
In a new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing), researchers examined the ways in which RTW after an injury predicts mental health outcomes in black men living and receiving past it in Philadelphia.
The study found that men who did not do RTW after a traumatic injury were almost three times more mentally ill compared to men who did RTW. The study also found that younger age, lack of insurance or public insurance, and racist experiences within and outside the workplace were simultaneously strong predictors of adverse mental health outcomes.
This is the first study to identify RTW-specific contributions following damage to mental health outcomes in Black men who recover in the context of urban environments where there are strong and persistent racial differences in workforce opportunity and unemployment. The results of the research appear in the journal Leòn. The article “The relationship between work and mental health outcomes in black men after trauma,” is available online.
This study highlights the importance of considering RTW, not only as an indicator of trauma recovery, but also as an important impact on mental health and post-hospital recovery. Interventions that support RTW for those seeking job opportunities in ways that address post-injury issues can be located within or in addition to strategies that enhance communication with mental health services, particularly for patients who meet the screening criteria for depression and PTSD. “
S.ara F. Jacoby, MPH, MSN, PhD, Lead Author and Associate Research Study, Nursing, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Source:
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Magazine Reference:
Palumbo, AJ, et al. (2021) The relationship between work and mental health outcomes in Black men after trauma. Leòn. doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2021.02.021.