TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with chronic work-related musculoskeletal pain disability
AU - Dersh, Jeffrey
AU - Gatchel, Robert J.
AU - Polatin, Peter
AU - Mayer, Tom
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - The cost and prevalence of chronic work-related musculoskeletal pain disability in industrialized countries are extremely high. Although unrecognized psychiatric disorders have been found to interfere with the successful rehabilitation of these disability patients, few data are currently available regarding the psychiatric characteristics of patients claiming work-related injuries that result in chronic disability. To investigate this issue, a consecutive group of patients with work-related chronic musculoskeletal pain disability (n = 1595), who started a prescribed course of tertiary rehabilitation, were evaluated. Psychiatric disorders were diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Results revealed that overall prevalences of psychiatric disorders were significantly elevated in these patients compared with base rates in the general population. A majority (64%) of patients were diagnosed with at least one current disorder, compared with only 15% of the general population. However, prevalences of psychiatric disorders were elevated in patients only after the work-related disability. Such findings suggest that clinicians treating these patients must be aware of the high prevalence of psychiatric disorders and be prepared to use mental health professionals to assist in identifying and stabilizing these patients. Failure to follow a biopsychosocial approach to treatment will likely contribute to prolonged pain disability in a substantial number of these patients.
AB - The cost and prevalence of chronic work-related musculoskeletal pain disability in industrialized countries are extremely high. Although unrecognized psychiatric disorders have been found to interfere with the successful rehabilitation of these disability patients, few data are currently available regarding the psychiatric characteristics of patients claiming work-related injuries that result in chronic disability. To investigate this issue, a consecutive group of patients with work-related chronic musculoskeletal pain disability (n = 1595), who started a prescribed course of tertiary rehabilitation, were evaluated. Psychiatric disorders were diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Results revealed that overall prevalences of psychiatric disorders were significantly elevated in these patients compared with base rates in the general population. A majority (64%) of patients were diagnosed with at least one current disorder, compared with only 15% of the general population. However, prevalences of psychiatric disorders were elevated in patients only after the work-related disability. Such findings suggest that clinicians treating these patients must be aware of the high prevalence of psychiatric disorders and be prepared to use mental health professionals to assist in identifying and stabilizing these patients. Failure to follow a biopsychosocial approach to treatment will likely contribute to prolonged pain disability in a substantial number of these patients.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036253994&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/00043764-200205000-00014
DO - 10.1097/00043764-200205000-00014
M3 - Article
C2 - 12024691
AN - SCOPUS:0036253994
SN - 1076-2752
VL - 44
SP - 459
EP - 468
JO - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JF - Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
IS - 5
ER -