February 8, 2024
When workers drop out of the workforce due to a debilitating injury, they are more likely to develop serious health problems and an elevated risk of death, studies by West Virginia University researchers have shown.
“The results suggest that disability itself may impact mortality risks. If confirmed, these results reinforce the importance of return to work and other efforts to reduce disability,” reads the conclusion to one of the studies.
The studies underscore what return-to-work advocates, insurers and some staffing firms, including Florida’s Remployability, have said for years: Without regular work, some injured employs become less active, gain weight and develop secondary problems such as diabetes. Other reports have shown a link between disability time off work and increased opioid use.