Underreporting work absences for nontraumatic work-related musculoskeletal disorders to workers' compensation: Results of a 2007-2008 survey of the québec working population

S. Stock, N. Nicolakakis, H. Raïq, K. Messing, K. Lippel and A. Turcot

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 3, e94-e101

Abstract: Objectives. We examined underestimation of nontraumatic work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) stemming from underreporting to workers' compensation (WC). Methods. In data from the 2007 to 2008 Québec Survey on Working and Employment Conditions and Occupational Health and Safety we estimated, among nonmanagement salaried employees (NMSEs) (1) the prevalence of WMSDs and resulting work absence, (2) the proportion with WMSDassociated work absence who filed a WC claim, and (3) among those who did not file a claim, the proportion who received no replacement income. We modeled factors associated with not filing with multivariate logistic regression. Results. Eighteen percent of NMSEs reported a WMSD, among whom 22.3% were absent from work. More than 80% of those absent did not file a WC claim, and 31.4% had no replacement income. Factors associated with not filing were higher personal income, higher seniority, shorter work absence, and not being unionized. Conclusions. The high level of WMSD underreporting highlights the limits of WC data for surveillance and prevention. Without WC benefits, injured workers may have reduced job protection and access to rehabilitation.

Keywords: absenteeism; adult; article; Canada; confidence interval; female; human; insurance; male; middle aged; musculoskeletal disease; occupational disease; qualitative research; risk; statistical model; utilization review; workman compensation, Absenteeism; Adult; Confidence Intervals; Female; Humans; Insurance Claim Review; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Odds Ratio; Qualitative Research; Quebec; Workers' Compensation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301562_2

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301562

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