Well-being After Finalization of a Workers' Compensation Claim: A Cross-Sectional Survey

James Weir; Robyn Fary; Tim Mitchell; Venerina Johnston; Mary Wyatt; Robert Guthrie; Bronwyn Myers; Darren Beales

doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000003264

Well-being After Finalization of a Workers' Compensation Claim: A Cross-Sectional Survey

J Occup Environ Med. 2025 Jan 1;67(1):e61-e71. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003264.

Authors

James Weir¹, Robyn Fary, Tim Mitchell, Venerina Johnston, Mary Wyatt, Robert Guthrie, Bronwyn Myers, Darren Beales

Affiliation

¹ From the Curtin School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia (J.W., R.F., D.B.); Curtin enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia (R.F., B.M., D.B.); Pain Options, 7 Hardy Street, South Perth, Western Australia, Australia (T.M.); Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Australia (V.J.); School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia (M.W.); Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health (MonCOEH), Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (M.W.); John Curtin Institute of Public Policy, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia (R.G.); and Mental health, Alcohol, Substance Use and Tobacco Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa (B.M.).

PMID: 39746481
DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003264

Abstract

Objective: Injured workers can be disadvantaged after a workers' compensation claims ends. This study investigated the association of a range of variables with well-being in injured workers who had finalized a workers' compensation claim >3 months prior.

Methods: On-line, cross-sectional survey (n = 129, 55.81% female). Well-being was measured using the Psychological Wellbeing 18-item (PWB) and the Personal Wellbeing Score (PWS).

Results: Multivariable quantile regression analysis controlling for education level demonstrated associations between the PWB and levels of psychological distress (-1.53; 95% CI, -2.11 to -0.94; P < 0.001) and resilience (6.51; 95% CI, 2.65 to 10.37; P = 0.001), and between the PWS and levels of psychological distress (-0.04; 95% CI, -0.51 to -0.29; P < 0.001) and resilience (1.2; 95% CI 0.47 to 1.93), P = 0.001.

Conclusions: Contemporaneous variables of resilience and psychological distress were stronger correlates with well-being than historic claim-related variables.

MeSH terms

Adult
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Health
Middle Aged
Occupational Injuries* / psychology
Psychological Distress
Resilience, Psychological*
Stress, Psychological / psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Workers' Compensation* / statistics & numerical data
Young Adult