Determinants and predictors of absenteeism and return-to-work in workers with shoulder disorders.

Background: Shoulder disorders lead to substantial productivity loss and determinants and predictors of sick leave are poorly known.

Objective: To perform a systematic review on determinants and predictors of sick leave and delayed return-to-work (RTW) in workers with shoulder disorders.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted and we included studies on workers with shoulder disorders that contained information on determinants or predictors for sick leave or RTW, The risk of bias of included studies was evaluated with a validated tool.

Results: Eight studies were included and four had a high risk of bias. The only determinants that were found significantly associated with delayed RTW or sickness absence in more than one study were an atraumatic history, disease severity and previous sickness absence. A clinical prediction rule was developed to predict sick leave in one study and included the following predictors: a longer duration of sick leave prior to consultation, higher shoulder pain, strain/overuse in usual activities and psychological complaints.

Conclusion: Several determinants or predictors were identified in the present review, but there is currently inconsistent evidence on the role of any determinants or predictors of work absence or delayed RTW for workers with a shoulder disorder. More methodologically sound studies are needed.