• Dan L Hunt, Ryan D Artuso, Nimisha Kalia, Nina Leung, Edward J Bernacki, and Xuguang Grant Tao.
• Medical Management Office (Dr Hunt); Predictive Modeling (Dr Artuso), AF Group, Lansing, Michigan; Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medicine (Dr Kalia, Dr Tao); Department of Population Health, Dell Medical School, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas, and Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (Dr Leung, Dr Bernacki).
• J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2019 May 1; 61 (5): e206-e211.

BackgroundAntidepressants, benzodiazapines, and opioid medications are used to manage the pain, anxiety, or depression associated with workplace injuries.ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of these medications on workers' compensation costs and time lost from work.MethodsA cohort of 22,383 indemnity claims from 2008 to 2013 were evaluated for the association of prescribed medications on claim cost and delayed claim closure controlling for confounders.ResultsClaims with anti-depressant, opioid, or benzodiazepine prescriptions were 2.24 (95% CI: 2.00 to 2.51), 1.14 (95% CI: 1.02 to 1.27), and 1.38 (95% CI: 1.23 to 1.54) times more likely to remain open at the end of the study.ConclusionThe concurrent treatment of pain, depression or anxiety, and occupational injuries are associated with large increases in claim cost and delayed return to work.

33 keywords...

hide…