Dataset Information

Factors associated with the duration of disability benefits claims among Canadian workers: a retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Disability insurance protects workers from total loss of income in case of a disabling injury or illness by providing wage-replacement benefits. To better inform early identification of claims at risk of prolonged recovery, we explored predictors of the duration of disability benefits claims.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using claims data provided by SSQ Life Insurance Company Inc., a private Canadian disability insurer. We examined all claims SSQ approved for short- and long-term disability benefits from Jan. 1, 2007, to Mar. 31, 2014, and evaluated the association between 9 variables and duration of short- and long-term disability benefits using Cox proportional hazards regression analyses.

Results

For both short- (n = 70?776) and long-term disability (n = 22?205) claims, and across all disorders, older age, female sex, heavy job demands, presence of comorbidity, attending an independent medical evaluation, receipt of rehabilitation therapy and longer time to claim approval were associated with longer claim duration. Higher predisability salary was associated with longer short-term disability claim duration. Quebec residency was associated with longer short-term disability claim duration among workers with psychological disorders, but shorter short-term disability claim duration among those with musculoskeletal complaints and other illnesses. For long-term disability claims, however, residing in Quebec was associated with shorter claim duration, although the size of the association differed across clinical conditions.

Interpretation

The factors we found to be associated with the duration of short- and long-term disability claims may be helpful to identify claims at risk of prolonged recovery. Our study has limitations, however, and well-designed prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings and identify other promising predictors.

SUBMITTER: Mulla SM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5378538 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan-Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Factors associated with the duration of disability benefits claims among Canadian workers: a retrospective cohort study.

Mulla Sohail M SM Makosso-Kallyth Sun S St-Hilaire Nathalie N Munsch Katrena K Gove Peter B PB Heels-Ansdell Diane D Guyatt Gordon H GH Busse Jason W JW

CMAJ open 20170101 1

<h4>Background</h4>Disability insurance protects workers from total loss of income in case of a disabling injury or illness by providing wage-replacement benefits. To better inform early identification of claims at risk of prolonged recovery, we explored predictors of the duration of disability benefits claims.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a retrospective cohort study using claims data provided by SSQ Life Insurance Company Inc., a private Canadian disability insurer. We examined all claims SSQ a ...[more]

PMID: 28401126

Similar Datasets

Project description:Background:Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) do not attain remission/low disease activity, remaining in a moderate disease activity state (MDAS) with ongoing disability and impaired quality of life (QoL). If patients in persistent MDAS with poor future outcomes could be prospectively identified, they could arguably be treated more intensively. We evaluated baseline factors predicting function (Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index [HAQ-DI] scores) and QoL (3-level EuroQol-5 dimensions questionnaire [EQ-5D-3L] index scores) at 12?months in patients with RA in persistent MDAS in a real-world setting. Methods:Patients with persistent MDAS (Disease Activity Score for 28-joint count based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate [DAS28-ESR] 3.2-5.1 on at least two consecutive outpatient appointments over 12?months) were identified retrospectively from Guy's Hospital RA Centre and analysed in two groups: (1) biologic naïve at baseline or (2) receiving/ever received biologics. The baseline timepoint was the second-visit MDAS DAS28-ESR score; the endpoint was the closest visit to 12?months. Linear regression analyses evaluated relationships between baseline variables and (1) 12-month HAQ-DI scores, (2) 12-month rank-transformed EQ-5D-3L index scores, (3) 12-month changes in HAQ-DI scores, and (4) 12-month changes in EQ-5D-3L index scores. Results:The analysis included 207 biologic-naïve and 188 biologic-experienced patients. All patients had moderate disability (mean HAQ-DI 1.21 and 1.46) and impaired QoL (mean EQ-5D-3L index scores 0.52 and 0.50). Many reported moderate/severe pain (93 and 96%) and showed little change in HAQ-DI and EQ-5D-3L index scores over 12?months. In both biologic-naïve and biologic-experienced groups, multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between baseline HAQ-DI scores and endpoint HAQ-DI scores (??=?0.67, P?<?0.001 and ??=?0.76, P?<?0.001, respectively), 12-month changes in HAQ-DI scores (both ??=?-?0.21, P?<?0.001), and 12-month EQ-5D-3L index scores (??=?-?0.57, P?<?0.001 and ??=?-?0.29, P?=?0.004, respectively). Baseline EQ-5D-3L index scores were significantly associated with 12-month changes in EQ-5D-3L index scores in both groups (??=?-?0.73, P?<?0.001 and ??=?-?0.40, P?=?0.003, respectively). Conclusions:Patients with RA in persistent MDAS experience substantial ongoing physical disability, poor QoL, and pain. HAQ-DI is an important predictor of future disability and reduced QoL, supporting current national recommendations to measure HAQ-DI in routine care.

Dataset Information

Factors associated with the duration of disability benefits claims among Canadian workers: a retrospective cohort study.

Background

Methods

Results

Interpretation

Publications

Factors associated with the duration of disability benefits claims among Canadian workers: a retrospective cohort study.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets