UnknownNot Applicable

Multi-axis Assessment of Injured Workers

Canada350 participantsStarted 2023-08-31

Plain-language summary

The percentage of loss time claims receiving Loss of Earnings benefits at 3 months has continued to rise amongst injured workers in Ontario despite the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) approach of "Better at Work". The primary health services to address loss time claims associated with musculoskeletal injuries include the evidenced-based programs of care, occupational health assessment program and musculoskeletal specialty programs, however, these are set to be revised and relaunched in Q1 2023. Across treatment protocols there are challenges that, at least in part, appear to contribute to the increasing percentage of workers on full loss of earnings at 3 months include (1) inconsistent early identification of workers who should be triaged to various health services and (2) reliable determination of the optimal timing of referral to the most targeted care to enable a safe and sustainable return to work. The investigators aim to develop and evaluate a predictive assessment model to triage workers to the best service within the first 8 weeks of their claim to increase the rate of early return to work, with the long-term goal that the triage protocol becomes part of a person-centric protocol that reduces the duration of work-related disability. The investigators will develop and evaluate an assessment protocol for injured workers that enter any of the musculoskeletal-specific WSIB programs of care, which have been consolidated into a single program as of 2023. This study will be a prospective inception cohort design using data collected from injured workers receiving WSIB musculoskeletal programs of care services at CBI Health clinics in Ontario Canada. Worker data will be collected at intake to the program of care service and again approximately four and eight weeks after intake (or earlier if a worker completes the program of care). The investigators will complete data analysis in three steps including descriptive and bivariate associations, Maximum Likelihood-based Latent Profile Analysis, and evaluation of results against successful work outcomes and secondary outcomes. Qualitative data will be mined for alternative indicators of recovery / non-recovery. The study recruitment goal is 300 - 350 workers with complete follow-up within a 2-year period.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years – 100 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: Eligible participants are those aged ≥18 years, able to read 6th grade English, presenting to a program of care for rehabilitation of a workplace injury with a primary musculoskeletal or Low Back Pain component. Exclusion Criteria: Participants with significant cognitive impairment or learning disability (self-reported) that interfere with following multi-step instructions will be excluded from this study. The exclusive focus on those entering program of care-based rehab will naturally exclude workers with catastrophic injuries (e.g., loss of limb, multiple fractures, burns) or those for whom a mental health disorder (e.g., PTSD, depression) is the primary diagnosis, thereby homogenizing the types of injuries included.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1This study is focused on assessing injured workers — since my injury is work-related, could you help me understand whether my specific type of injury, like my back, neck, or extremity problem, is a good fit for what this study is actually evaluating?
2The trial's recruitment status is listed as 'unknown' — do you know whether this study is still actively enrolling, and if not, are there similar assessment studies I could look into instead?
3The main thing this study is measuring is work status after a musculoskeletal injury — does that mean it's mainly observational, and would participating in it change my actual treatment in any way, or would I still receive standard care?
4Since this study is labeled Phase NA, it seems more like an evaluation or outcomes study than a treatment trial — could you explain how something like this might benefit me practically, or is it primarily contributing data for future workers in similar situations?
5Given that my goal is to recover and return to work, would you recommend I pursue standard rehabilitation first, and could participating in this kind of assessment study run alongside that treatment without conflicting with my recovery plan?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Work status

Timeframe: 8 weeks

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06016647

SponsorDave Walton

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2025-04-30

Contact for this trial

David Walton, PhD

519-878-3746 dwalton5@uwo.ca

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Musculoskeletal Injury trials