abstract: 'Objectives: To explore the financial and employment impacts following

  serious injury.

  Design: Semi-structured telephone administered qualitative interviews

  with purposive sampling and thematic qualitative analysis.

  Participants: 118 patients (18-81 years) registered by the Victorian

  State Trauma Registry or Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry

  12-24 months post-injury.

  Results: Key findings of the study were that although out-of-pocket

  treatment costs were generally low, financial hardship was prevalent

  after hospitalisation for serious injury, and was predominantly

  experienced by working age patients due to prolonged absences from paid

  employment. Where participants were financially pressured prior to

  injury, injury further exacerbated these financial concerns. Reliance on

  savings and loans and the need to budget carefully to limit financial

  burden were discussed. Financial implications of loss of income were

  generally less for those covered by compensation schemes, with

  non-compensable participants requiring welfare payments due to an

  inability to earn an income. Most participants reported that the injury

  had a negative impact on work. Loss of earnings payments from injury

  compensation schemes and income protection policies, supportive

  employers, and return to work programs were perceived as key factors in

  reducing the financial burden of injured participants. Employer-related

  barriers to return to work included the employer not listening to the

  needs of the injured participant, not understanding their physical

  limitations, and placing unrealistic expectations on the injured person.

  While the financial benefits of compensation schemes were acknowledged,

  issues accessing entitlements and delays in receiving benefits were

  commonly reported by participants, suggesting that improvements in

  scheme processes could have substantial benefits for injured patients.

  Conclusions: Seriously injured patients commonly experienced substantial

  financial and work-related impacts of injury. Participants of working

  age who were unemployed prior to injury, did not have extensive leave

  accrual at their pre-injury employment, and those not covered by injury

  compensation schemes or income protection insurance clearly represent

  participants ``at risk'''' for substantial financial hardship post-injury.

  Early identification of these patients, and improved provision of

  information about financial support services, budgeting and work

  retraining could assist in alleviating financial stress after injury (C)

  2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.'
affiliation: 'Gabbe, BJ (Corresponding Author), Monash Univ, Alfred Ctr, Dept Epidemiol
  \& Prevent Med, Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Vic 3004, Australia.

  Gabbe, Belinda J.; Gosling, Cameron M.; Wilson, Krystle; Sutherland, Ann; Hart,
  Melissa; Watterson, Dina, Monash Univ, Dept Epidemiol \& Prevent Med, Melbourne,
  Vic 3004, Australia.

  Gabbe, Belinda J., Swansea Univ, Coll Med, Swansea, W Glam, Wales.

  Sleney, Jude S., Univ Surrey, Dept Sociol, Guildford GU2 5XH, Surrey, England.

  Sutherland, Ann, The Alfred, Emergency \& Trauma Ctr, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.

  Hart, Melissa, Royal Melbourne Hosp, Dept Orthopaed, Parkville, Vic, Australia.

  Watterson, Dina, Alfred Hlth, Occupat Therapy Dept, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.

  Christie, Nicola, UCL, Ctr Transport Studies, Dept Civil Environm \& Geomat Engn,
  London WC1E 6BT, England.'
author: Gabbe, Belinda J. and Sleney, Jude S. and Gosling, Cameron M. and Wilson,
  Krystle and Sutherland, Ann and Hart, Melissa and Watterson, Dina and Christie,
  Nicola
author-email: belinda.gabbe@monash.edu
author_list:
- family: Gabbe
  given: Belinda J.
- family: Sleney
  given: Jude S.
- family: Gosling
  given: Cameron M.
- family: Wilson
  given: Krystle
- family: Sutherland
  given: Ann
- family: Hart
  given: Melissa
- family: Watterson
  given: Dina
- family: Christie
  given: Nicola
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2014.01.019
eissn: 1879-0267
files: []
issn: 0020-1383
journal: INJURY-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE CARE OF THE INJURED
keywords: Trauma; Outcomes; Disability; Financial impact; Return to work
keywords-plus: 'TRAUMA REGISTRY; OUTCOMES; RECOVERY; CARE; COMPENSATION; UNEMPLOYMENT;

  SYSTEM; HEALTH; RETURN; WORK'
language: English
month: SEP
number: '9'
number-of-cited-references: '30'
orcid-numbers: 'Christie, Nicola/0000-0001-7152-5240

  Gosling, Cameron/0000-0003-1771-0458

  Gabbe, Belinda/0000-0001-7096-7688'
pages: 1445-1451
papis_id: 98cc1a823f17740bdea59cad902e4ced
ref: Gabbe2014financialemployment
times-cited: '41'
title: 'Financial and employment impacts of serious injury: A qualitative study'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000340280900028
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '15'
volume: '45'
web-of-science-categories: Critical Care Medicine; Emergency Medicine; Orthopedics;
  Surgery
year: '2014'