Return to work after a motor vehicle crash

Returning to work after injury is an important component of rehabilitation and a significant marker of functional recovery. There is considerable evidence that engagement in work is good for both mental and physical health, and for general wellbeing. Extended periods of absence from work after a motor vehicle crash (MVC) can have negative financial and societal impacts, but can also negatively impact the long-term health of the injured person. It is important to support injured people to return to work to ensure these negative effects are minimised. There are multiple studies of return to work in MVC survivors. These studies have sought to identify factors associated with better return to work outcomes, in order to enable identification of those that require greater support. The studies consistently find that people with more severe injury or disability, ongoing pain, lower education or socioeconomic status, and those inclined to engage legal representation have poorer return to work outcomes. Several studies have found that one-third to a half of severely injured persons fail at return to work or do not return to work at all, particularly those with brain or spinal cord injury. There have been few studies of interventions seeking to support MVC survivors to return to work. There is some evidence that interventions that involve coordination of the workplace and healthcare systems are effective, however, evidence is mixed on interventions that involve only a single domain (e.g., healthcare system only).