Compensation seeking and disability after injury: The role of compensation-related stress and mental health

Abstract

Objective: Claiming for compensation after injury is associated with poor health outcomes. This study examined the degree to which compensationrelated stress predicts long-term disability and the mental health factors that contribute to this relationship. Method: In a longitudinal, multisite cohort study, 332 injury patients (who claimed for compensation) recruited from April 2004 to February 2006 were assessed during hospitalization and at 3 and 72 months after injury. Posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms (using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview) were assessed at 3 months; compensation-related stress and disability levels (using the World Health Organizatio..