WVU in the News: Work-related low-back injury and increased rate of death
Do certain types of work-related disabilities lead to an increased rate of death? This question has not been well studied. Recently published research, “Increased overall and cause‐specific mortality associated with disability among workers’ compensation claimants with low back injuries,” examined the issue.
Conducted by WVU School of Public Health and School of Medicine professor Dr. Chris Martin and NIOSH statistician Stephen Bertke, PhD, the study found that those with a lost-time disabling low-back workers’ compensation claim had a higher rate of mortality when compared to those with claims accepted for the same diagnoses who did not miss time from work.