Quality of life among vocational rehabilitation patients with mild work-related disability and its association with return-to-work outcomes
10.3969/j.issn.1006-9771.2026.09.010
- VernacularTitle:轻度伤残职业康复者生活质量状况及其与不同层次复工结局的关联
- Author:
Huiling ZHOU
1
;
Jiayan ZENG
1
;
Bing CHEN
1
Author Information
1. Guangdong Work Injury Rehabilitation Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510000, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
mild work-related disability;
injured workers;
vocational rehabilitation;
return-to-work outcomes;
the 36-item Short Form Health Survey;
health changes;
lost workdays
- From:
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice
2026;32(9):1078-1086
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo explore the impact of comprehensive vocational rehabilitation on quality of life and return-to-work outcomes for individuals with mild work-related disability. MethodsA longitudinal observational study was conducted. A total of 343 work-injured employees receiving comprehensive vocational rehabilitation intervention in Guangdong Work Injury Rehabilitation Hospital from June, 2023 to December, 2024 were selected. The 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was adopted to assess their health-related quality of life at admission and discharge. All subjects were followed up within one year after discharge to collect their return-to-work status. The differences in each dimension score of SF-36 among patients with different return-to-work outcomes (return to original post, transfer to new post and non-return to work) were compared, and the independent influencing factors of return-to-work outcomes were identified. ResultsComprehensive vocational rehabilitation intervention significantly improved the scores of physical functioning (PF), role-physical (RP) and role-emotional (RE) among work-injured employees (P < 0.05). At discharge, compared with patients who failed to return to work, patients returning to original post obtained significantly higher scores in PF, RP, bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF) and mental health (MH), patients transferred to new post achieved significantly higher scores in PF, BP, GH and SF (P < 0.05). Taking non-return-to-work status as the reference category, the multinomial logistic regression model showed the adverse factors for return to original post included low educational attainment (college diploma or below), on-site placement service, increased lost workdays and low employment intention (pre-contemplation and contemplation stages); the protective factor was positive evaluation of health transition (HT); for patients transferred to new posts, adverse factors were low employment intention (pre-contemplation stage) and increased lost workdays, while protective factors covered on-site placement service and positive HT evaluation. ConclusionComprehensive vocational rehabilitation can improve the quality of life for injured workers. Better quality of life is positively associated with return-to-work outcomes. HT, education level, job placement mode, lost workdays and employment willingness are independent factors impacting return-to-work outcomes.
