Background: Available statistics provide relatively reliable information on the number of occupational injuries, their causes and mechanisms, but less is known about long-term health impact.
Material and methods: A group of workers, who had been referred to a specialist for medico-legal assessment after seeking compensation because of occupational injury, were asked to complete a questionnaire approximately three years (median) after the injury. Perceived health and function was assessed through the Short Form Questionnaire (SF-36) and a 100 mm visual analogue scale for physical and psychological health. The injuries were scored according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). Information on outcome of the insurance claims was obtained from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV).
Results: Of 314 distributed questionnaires, 191 (62 %) were returned. 83 % of the respondents had injuries with an AIS score < 2; mostly sprains, strains and contusions. Compared to Norwegian population norms, the claimants reported substantially reduced health and functioning; this was especially pronounced among those with soft-tissue injuries, age at injury < 45 years, and < 12 years of education. 33 % of the respondents worked full time, while 55 % were recipients of insurance benefits. 30 % had been granted workers' compensation by NAV.
Interpretation: The reported health deterioration in this selected injury group seems to be at odds with a biologically based disease model. Medico-legal considerations should take into account that prognosis after occupational injury may be influenced by factors other than the actual injury.