Determinants of sustainable work participation after spinal cord injury in The Netherlands

Abstract

Purpose: Work participation of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) is lower compared to the overall Dutch population, with determinants largely unknown. Aim: To identify the determinants of sustainable work participation for persons with SCI. Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in eight Dutch rehabilitation centers. Persons with first inpatient rehabilitation, discharged between 2015 and 2022, and a work participation goal were invited to complete a survey. Statistical analyses compared groups based on having paid work (yes/no), work functioning (good/lower), past sick leave (occasional/frequent), and expected sick leave (occasional/frequent). Variables that significantly differed were added in logistic regression analyses, and goodness of fit of the model was estimated using Nagelkerke pseudo R-square. Results: In total, 175 persons responded (69.7% male, 51.1 ± 12.8 years, time since injury 4.2 ± 2.7 years). The paid work model accounted for 24.5% of the variance (p < .001). The work functioning model accounted for 48.1% (p < .001), with work ability as a significant contributor. The model for past sick leave accounted for 23.5% (p = .009). The model for expected sick leave accounted for 36.4% (p