Date of Award

Fall 2011

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science Rehabilitation Science (MSc)

Department

Rehabilitation Science

Supervisor

Joy MacDermid

Co-Supervisor

Jill Hayden

Language

English

Committee Member

Linda Woodhouse

Abstract

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to determine what cut-off of the Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire score will best differentiate workers with acute musculoskeletal injuries at-risk for delayed return to work (greater than 3 months), in a population of workers of less than 3 weeks injury duration.

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort design, using a sample of convenience.

Methods:

A sample of 259 consecutive WCB patients seeking assessment and treatment at a multidisciplinary rehabilitation facility were reviewed, with 152 meeting the inclusion criteria of having sustained a soft tissue injury within 3 weeks of initial assessment. Descriptive statistics, tests of difference between Time 1 and Time 2 OMPSQ scores and Receiver Operator Characteristic curves were generated. The method of determining predictive ability of the OMPSQ at two points in time was by means of ROC analysis.

Results:

This study determined that the OMPSQ is moderately predictive of failure to achieve timely return to work (RTW) in a population of injured workers with acute musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries, when assessed two-weeks after treatment is initiated, and less predictive at the initial intake into treatment. Delayed RTW was defined as those workers who had not returned to their pre-injury job full time by 90 days, due to reduced functional ability as it related to their pre-injury occupation.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates that there is variability in cut-off scores across studies. Future research should attempt to define cut-off scores as they relate to the population , outcome, condition and time-frame of interest .

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