Factors for Returning to Work for Patients with Physical Disabilities and Brain Damage After Industrial Accidents

Q: What problem does the study address regarding industrial accidents?

It addresses how workers with physical or brain lesion-related disabilities struggle with return to work (RTW) after industrial accidents and what factors influence RTW outcomes.

Q: How was the study conducted and what data were used?

The study used five-year panel data from 2018 to 2022 from the Panel Study of Workers’ Compensation Insurance of South Korea and analyzed 340 individuals with relevant disabilities.

Q: Which factors were associated with lower or higher chances of RTW?

Non-RTW was associated with factors including female sex, injury caused by disease, long recovery periods, low self-confidence, and older age; higher RTW chances were associated with no blood pressure problems and longer employment durations.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret

Return to work (RTW) after an industrial accident is pivotal for individual well-being and socioeconomic recovery. This study examines determinants of RTW among workers who developed physical or brain lesion-related disabilities following industrial accidents. Using five-year South Korea panel data (2018–2022) and logistic regression on 340 participants, results identify multiple factors linked to RTW and return to employed status. Findings inform targeted support services and policy decisions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Burden of industrial accidents and need for RTW

Disability frameworks and RTW obligations

South Korea compensation and rehabilitation system

Methods

Data source and study population

Outcomes and statistical analysis

Results

RTW and non-RTW factors

Factors associated with return to employed status

Conclusions

Article Factors for Returning to Work for Patients with Physical Disabilities and Brain Damage After Industrial Accidents Dahyeon Koo 1, Jun Hwa Choi 2, Eun Suk Choi 3,4,* and Dougho Park 1,5, * Academic Editor: Suzanne Hoi Shan Lo Received: 10 November 2025 Revised: 24 December 2025 Accepted: 25 December 2025 Published: 27 December 2025 Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. 1 Medical Research Institute, Pohang Stroke and Spine Hospital, Pohang 37659, Republic of Korea 2 Department of Quality Improvement, Pohang Stroke and Spine Hospital, Pohang 37659, Republic of Korea 3 College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea 4 Research Institute of Nursing innovation, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea 5 Medical Science and Engineering, School of Convergence Science and Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37666, Republic of Korea * Correspondence: [eschoi2007@knu.ac.kr](eschoi2007@knu.ac.kr) (E.S.C.); [parkdougho@postech.ac.kr](parkdougho@postech.ac.kr) (D.P.) Abstract Background/Objectives: Return to work (RTW) after an industrial accident is crucial for an individual’s well-being and socioeconomic recovery. This study investigated factors influencing RTW among workers who sustained physical or brain lesion-related disabilities following industrial accidents. Methods: Using five-year panel data (2018–2022) from the Panel Study of Workers’ Compensation Insurance of South Korea, we analyzed 340 individuals with physical or brain lesion-related disabilities sustained from industrial accidents. We used logistic regression models to identify factors associated with RTW and return to employed (RTE) status. Results: The RTW and non-RTW groups comprised 160 and 180 participants, respectively. Factors associated with non-RTW included female sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13–0.86; p = 0.023), injury caused by disease (aOR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.05–0.66; p = 0.010), long recovery periods (aOR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.10–0.72; p = 0.009), low self-confidence (aOR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.07–0.35; p < 0.001), and older age (aOR, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.02–0.34; p = 0.001) . Workers with no blood pressure problems (aOR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.11–4.38; p = 0.024) and longer employment durations (aOR, 3.84; 95% CI, 1.15–12.81; p = 0.029) had a higher chance of RTW. Similar factors were associated with RTE, with more emphasis on older age, long recovery periods, low self-confidence, and injury caused by disease. Conclusions: Our findings contribute to developing targeted support services and informing policy decisions to improve RTW for workers with physical or brain lesion-related disabilities caused by industrial accidents. Keywords: brain injuries; disabled persons; industrial accident; occupational health; return to work 1. Introduction Industrial accidents cause not only physical and psychological suffering for the affected worker but also lead to economic and social losses, creating a significant burden at the national level [1] . According to recent estimates from the International Labour Organization, work-related injuries and diseases account for approximately 3.94% of the global gross domestic product, representing a major economic loss across both developed and developing countries [2] . Furthermore, in cases of severe sequelae such as physical or brain lesion-related disabilities, long-term treatment and rehabilitation are necessary, making return to work (RTW) a challenging process. The proportion of workers with industrial accidents who experience physical disabilities and brain damage annually varies by country and injury type. For example, a meta-analysis reported that approximately 6.3% of work-related injuries result in traumatic brain inj

FAQs

What problem does the study address regarding industrial accidents?

It addresses how workers with physical or brain lesion-related disabilities struggle with return to work (RTW) after industrial accidents and what factors influence RTW outcomes.

How was the study conducted and what data were used?

The study used five-year panel data from 2018 to 2022 from the Panel Study of Workers’ Compensation Insurance of South Korea and analyzed 340 individuals with relevant disabilities.

Which factors were associated with lower or higher chances of RTW?

Non-RTW was associated with factors including female sex, injury caused by disease, long recovery periods, low self-confidence, and older age; higher RTW chances were associated with no blood pressure problems and longer employment durations.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret