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Association between availability of direct access to army occupational therapy with return to duty in active-duty soldiers.
- Source :
- Journal of Hand Therapy; Oct2024, Vol. 37 Issue 4, p670-676, 7p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Upper extremity musculoskeletal injuries are common with active-duty Army Soldiers and result in increased limited duty days. Patient satisfaction and surgery rates improve with direct access to occupational therapy in the civilian community. Examine the amount of time from initial evaluation following an upper extremity musculoskeletal injury (MSKI) to return to full duty plus occupational therapy (OT) utilization in Army Soldiers. Retrospective observational. Electronic health records and profiles from 18,206 US active-duty Army soldiers with MSKI and OT evaluation between 2017–2018 were examined. Repeated measures generalized estimating equations provided the rate ratios (RRs) for OT healthcare utilization (total number of OT evaluations and treatment visits) by days to first OT evaluation and limited duty profile (total days on profile). Soldiers were on average 32.0 (SD = 8.9) y/o, predominantly senior enlisted (45.7%), white (58.0%), male (81.4%), 10.0 (SD = 8.4) years of service, and high school or less educated (51.3%). There were 22,617 UE MSKIs with an OT evaluation and 4936 UE MSKIs with profiles. Compared with UE MSKIs with an OT evaluation on the same day, there was a significant increase in rates of OT utilization for 1–7 days (RR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.3, 1.5), 8–14 days (RR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 1.4), 15–30 days (RR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.3, 1.5), 31–60 days (RR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.4, 1.6), and +60 days later (RR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.5, 1.7). Similar differences in rates for limited duty profiles were found. A greater number of days between diagnosis of UE MSKI and OT evaluation results in greater rates of OT utilization and longer temporary profile. Results suggest that earlier intervention by OT may decrease recovery and healthcare utilization of soldiers. • Longer time to evaluation was associated with greater utilization rates of OT. • Upper extremity injuries were predominant in senior enlisted male Soldiers. • Soldiers may benefit from early access to OT care for upper extremity injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- MUSCULOSKELETAL system injuries
ARM injuries
AMERICAN military personnel
HEALTH services accessibility
MEDICAL care use
SCIENTIFIC observation
RETROSPECTIVE studies
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
OCCUPATIONAL therapy
WORK-related injuries
MEDICAL records
ACQUISITION of data
CONVALESCENCE
PATIENT satisfaction
CONFIDENCE intervals
EMPLOYMENT reentry
MILITARY personnel
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 08941130
- Volume :
- 37
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Supplemental Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Hand Therapy
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 181443777
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jht.2023.12.007