Brief psychosocial screeners trump GPs and physios
Psychosocial risk factors better predict delayed recovery than do injury characteristics. How should we assess risk: via brief assessment tools or the observations of health professionals?
Pop quiz! Bob and Karl both hurt their shoulder at work and have taken time off to recover. Sam and Janine are away from work because of lower back problems. All four workers are feeling some discomfort, but their respective GPs think they’re coping ok. However, two workers will get back to work within a few days, while the other two will be off work for several months. Q: Which workers will recover well, and which will s...