The Provision of Social Support Increases the Return-to-Work Rate of Musculoskeletal Injury Patients: A Systematic Review

Siti Zahra Arfiani; Muhammad Hasan; Inke Kusumastuti

doi:10.47134/ijhis.v3i2.72

Authors

Siti Zahra Arfiani Universitas Jember https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2076-9572
Muhammad Hasan Universitas Jember
Inke Kusumastuti Universitas Jember

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47134/ijhis.v3i2.72

Keywords:

Social support, Return to Work, Musculoskeletal Injury.

Abstract

The most common problem in orthopedics that becomes the main cause of disability worldwide is musculoskeletal injuries. It may develop into chronic conditions that interfere with social function, quality of life, and productivity. The Return to Work (RTW) Rate is used for measuring the success of intervention. Provision of social support becomes the psychosocial interventions that may reduce the negative impact. This study aimed to learn whether social support may increase the RTW rate of musculoskeletal injury, by conducting a systematic review based on Preferred Reporting Items for System and Meta Analysis (PRISMA). Literature search using three databases, Springer, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and manual searching. The critical appraisal tool used was the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist. There were seven included articles with high and medium quality. All studies were conducted in developed countries. Social support from supervisors and colleagues increases the chances of achieving partial and sustained RTW, and reduces the rate of interrupted RTW, while social support from family and friends can reduce the chances of achieving a partial RTW. More studies analyzing provision of social support to patients with other medical conditions should be made in the population of working age in developing countries, to assess for possible generalization of the results of the present systematic review.

References

Dueñas M, Ojeda B, Salazar A, Mico JA, Failde I. A review of chronic pain impact on patients, their social environment and the health care system. J Pain Res. 2016;9:457-467. doi:10.2147/JPR.S105892

Fasihi Harandi T, Mohammad Taghinasab M, Dehghan Nayeri T. The correlation of social support with mental health: A meta-analysis. Electron Physician. 2017;9(9):5212-5222. doi:10.19082/5212

Gellert P, Häusler A, Suhr R, et al. Testing the stress-buffering hypothesis of social support in couples coping with early-stage dementia. PLoS One. 2018;13(1). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0189849

Goplen CM, Verbeek W, Kang SH, et al. Preoperative opioid use is associated with worse patient outcomes after Total joint arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2019;20(1). doi:10.1186/s12891-019-2619-8

Hardy CJ, Richman JM, Rosenfeld LB. The Role of Social Support in the Life Stress/Injury Relationship. Sport Psychol. 2016;5(2):128-139. doi:10.1123/tsp.5.2.128

Haveraaen LA, Skarpaas LS, Berg JE, Aas RW. Do psychological job demands, decision control and social support predictreturn to work three months after a return-to-work (RTW) programme? the rapid-RTW cohort study. Work. 2016;53(1):61-71. doi:10.3233/WOR-152216

Hruschak V, Cochran G. Psychosocial predictors in the transition from acute to chronic pain: a systematic review. Psychol Health Med. 2018;23(10):1151-1167. doi:10.1080/13548506.2018.1446097

Jetha A, LaMontagne AD, Lilley R, Hogg-Johnson S, Sim M, Smith P. Workplace Social System and Sustained Return-to-Work: A Study of Supervisor and Co-worker Supportiveness and Injury Reaction. J Occup Rehabil. 2017;28(3):486-494. doi:10.1007/s10926-017-9724-z

Kamp T, Stevens M, van Beveren J, et al. Influence of social support on return to work after total hip or total knee arthroplasty: a prospective multicentre cohort study. BMJ Open. 2022;12(5):e059225. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059225

Kendrick D, Coupland C, Whitehead J, et al. Psychological morbidity and return to work after injury: Multicentre cohort study. British Journal of General Practice. 2017;67(661):e555-e564. doi:10.3399/bjgp17X691673

Laisné F, Lecomte C, Corbière M. Biopsychosocial determinants of work outcomes of workers with occupational injuries receiving compensation: A prospective study. Work. 2013;44(2):117-132. doi:10.3233/WOR-2012-1378

Lane TJ, Lilley R, Hogg-Johnson S, LaMontagne AD, Sim MR, Smith PM. A Prospective Cohort Study of the Impact of Return-to-Work Coordinators in Getting Injured Workers Back on the Job. J Occup Rehabil. 2017;28(2):298-306. doi:10.1007/s10926-017-9719-9

Leiva R, Rochaix L, Kiefer N, Dupont JCK. Evaluating the Impact of Intensive Case Management for Severe Vocational Injuries on Work Incapacity and Costs. J Occup Rehabil. 2021;31(4):807-821. doi:10.1007/s10926-021-09967-6

Lin FC, Lin CP, Chuang HY, Wu TW, Huang PJ, Yang CC, Kuo CH. Do Short-Term Improvements in ADL and IADL Have Association with Return to Work in Workers with Occupational Injury? From an Occupational Injury Cohort in Taiwan. Saf Health Work [Internet]. 2025 Jan [cited 2025 Jun 24]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2024.12.003

Lysaght R, Larmour S. An Exploration of Social Support as a Factor in the Return-to-Work Process. Vol 30. IOS Press; 2008.

Makino K, Lee S, Bae S, et al. Pain characteristics and incidence of functional disability among community-dwelling older adults. PLoS One. 2019;14(4). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0215467

Njaka S, Mohd Yusoff D, Anua SM, Kueh YC, Edeogu CO. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and their associated factors among quarry workers in Nigeria: A cross-sectional study. Heliyon [Internet]. 2021 Feb [cited 2025 Jun 24];7(2):e06130. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06130

Prang KH, Berecki-Gisolf J, Newnam S. Recovery from musculoskeletal injury: The role of social support following a transport accident. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2015;13(1). doi:10.1186/s12955-015-0291-8

Rashid M, Kristofferzon ML, Nilsson A. Predictors of return to work among women with long-term neck/shoulder and/or back pain: A 1-year prospective study. PLoS One. 2021;16(11 November). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0260490

Richmond NL, Meyer ML, Hollowell AG, Isenberg EE, Domeier RM, Swor RA, Hendry PL, Peak DA, Rathlev NK, Jones JS, Lee DC, Jones CW, Platts-Mills TF. Social Support and Pain Outcomes After Trauma Exposure Among Older Adults. Clin J Pain [Internet]. 2018 Apr [cited 2025 Jun 24];34(4):366-74. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1097/ajp.0000000000000545

Sears JM, Schulman BA, Fulton-Kehoe D, Hogg-Johnson S. Workplace Organizational and Psychosocial Factors Associated with Return-to-Work Interruption and Reinjury among Workers with Permanent Impairment. Ann Work Expo Health. 2021;65(5):566-580. doi:10.1093/annweh/wxaa133

Tengku Mohd TA, Yunus RM, Hairi F, Hairi NN, Choo WY. Social support and depression among community dwelling older adults in Asia: a systematic review. BMJ Open [Internet]. 2019 Jul [cited 2025 Jun 24];9(7):e026667. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026667

Torgbenu EL, Nakua EK, Kyei H, Badu E, Opoku MP. Causes, trends and severity of musculoskeletal injuries in Ghana. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2017;18(1):349. doi:10.1186/s12891-017-1709-8

Weber J, Angerer P, Brenner L, et al. Early intervention, treatment and rehabilitation of employees with common mental disorders by using psychotherapeutic consultation at work: study protocol of a randomised controlled multicentre trial (friaa project). BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-021-11195-9