Relationship between occupation, social class and time taken off work following a whiplash injury

INTRODUCTION Little has been published about occupational and social factors in relation to time off work following a whiplash injury. PATIENTS AND METHODS We analysed 800 medicolegal case sheets from a consultant orthopaedic surgeon's practice. RESUTS Of those injured, 596 were working and 204 were unemployed or retired. The working group was further analysed. Severity of injury was estimated by analysing velocity of injury combined with vehicular damage. Mean time off work for a minor injury was 10.6 days, moderate 12.1 days, severe 13.8, and very severe 24.9 (P < 0.05). Looking at work categories as previously described in the literature, 20.5 days were taken off by heavy manual workers, light manual 15.7, driving 13.9, secretarial 9.2 and sedentary 12.8 (P < 0.05). Analysing as per social class showed that professionals required 7.0 days, intermediate 14.7 days, skilled non-manual 16.1 days, skilled manual 34.2 days, semi-skilled manual 33.2 days, and unskilled manual 11.5 days (P < 0.05). Nearly a third (31.2%) required no time off work, after 4 days off, 52.1% had returned to work and 90.1% were back at work after 30 days. Time off lasting more than 12 weeks occurred in 29 cases (4.9%). CONCLUSIONS Job style, severity of injury and social class have a bearing on time taken off work after road traffic accidents causing whiplash injury.