Do regional labor market conditions matter for temporary work disability duration? A multilevel analysis of workers' compensation claims in five Canadian provinces.
Canada
multilevel models
regional variation
work disability
workers' compensation
Journal
American journal of industrial medicine
ISSN: 1097-0274
Titre abrégé: Am J Ind Med
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 8101110
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
08 2023
08 2023
Historique:
revised:
10
05
2023
received:
23
11
2022
accepted:
10
05
2023
medline:
10
7
2023
pubmed:
28
5
2023
entrez:
28
5
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Research has shown how regionally varying labor market conditions are associated with differences in work disability duration. However, the majority of these studies have not used multilevel models to appropriately account for the hierarchical clustering of individuals nested within contextual units (e.g., regions). Studies that have used multilevel models have focused on privately insured workers or on disability not specifically caused by work-related injury or illness. Using claims data from five Canadian provincial workers' compensation systems, linear random-intercept models were used to estimate how much variance in temporary work disability duration ('work disability duration' for brevity) for work-related injuries and musculoskeletal disorders was due to differences between economic regions, what economic region-level labor market characteristics were associated with work disability duration, and what characteristics best explained economic region differences in work disability duration. Economic region characteristics, such as the unemployment rate and proportion of goods-producing employment, were independently associated with individual-level work disability duration. However, economic region variation only accounted for 1.5%-2% of total variation in work disability duration. The majority (71%) of economic region-level variation was explained by the provincial jurisdiction where the worker lived and was injured. Regional variation tended to be greater for female workers than males. The findings suggest that while regional labor market conditions matter for work disability duration, system-level differences in workers' compensation and health care are more important factors influencing work disability duration. Furthermore, while this study includes both temporary and permanent disability claims, the work disability duration measure only captures temporary disability.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Research has shown how regionally varying labor market conditions are associated with differences in work disability duration. However, the majority of these studies have not used multilevel models to appropriately account for the hierarchical clustering of individuals nested within contextual units (e.g., regions). Studies that have used multilevel models have focused on privately insured workers or on disability not specifically caused by work-related injury or illness.
METHODS
Using claims data from five Canadian provincial workers' compensation systems, linear random-intercept models were used to estimate how much variance in temporary work disability duration ('work disability duration' for brevity) for work-related injuries and musculoskeletal disorders was due to differences between economic regions, what economic region-level labor market characteristics were associated with work disability duration, and what characteristics best explained economic region differences in work disability duration.
RESULTS
Economic region characteristics, such as the unemployment rate and proportion of goods-producing employment, were independently associated with individual-level work disability duration. However, economic region variation only accounted for 1.5%-2% of total variation in work disability duration. The majority (71%) of economic region-level variation was explained by the provincial jurisdiction where the worker lived and was injured. Regional variation tended to be greater for female workers than males.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that while regional labor market conditions matter for work disability duration, system-level differences in workers' compensation and health care are more important factors influencing work disability duration. Furthermore, while this study includes both temporary and permanent disability claims, the work disability duration measure only captures temporary disability.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
637-654Subventions
Organisme : CIHR
Pays : Canada
Informations de copyright
© 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Industrial Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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