Examining the sensitivity of an injury surveillance program using population-based estimates.

This study uses population-based estimates to assess the sensitivity and representativeness of an injury surveillance system using a 1-year population-based approach. Data from the Ottawa Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) site (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario) were compared with those from six expansion sites. The overall sensitivity of CHIRPP was 43% of all treated injuries and 57% of injuries treated at emergency departments.

Association between clinician-assessed lifting ability and workplace tolerance and patient self-reported pain and disability following work conditioning.

Objective: We investigated the association between clinician-assessed performance-based measures of improvement in lifting ability and workplace tolerance and patient self-reported improvement in pain and perceived disability following work conditioning (WC).

Methods: A sample of 76 patients (42 +/- 9 yrs, 21 to 60 yrs, 74% male) was selected from a retrospective database because they had lumbar spine impairments and received treatment in a WC program. Patients completed self-report surveys for perceived disability (Oswestry), pain intensity (visual analog pain scale--VAS), and pain concerns (McGill short form) before initial functional capacity evaluation (FCE) and after termination of the WC program.