DOES THE WORK ABILITY INDEX PREDICT RETURN TO WORK FOLLOWING A COMPENSABLE INJURY?

This study investigated whether the Work Ability Index can predict return to work for individuals (N=213) with a compensable personal injury. A binomial logistic regression analysis found that the overall Work Ability Index score explained a significant portion of the variance in return-to-work outcomes (McFadden’s R2 = 0.516). A comparison of the median Work Ability Index scores for the working and non-working groups revealed a clear distinction: the median score was 27 for those who returned to work (on the border of poor and moderate work ability) and 12 for those who did not (clearly classified as poor work ability). The Work Ability Index showed predictive ability, as evidenced by an AUC of 0.94. Furthermore, an analysis of the 10 questions on the Work Ability Index showed significant differences between the two groups on all but one question. The best predictor was the individual's estimated work ability in two years' time (rank biserial = 0.851), while the number of current diseases or injuries was the worst predictor (rank biserial = 0.133). It was concluded that the Work Ability Index is a useful and effective tool for predicting return to work after a compensable injury