Factors Predicting Return to Work After Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation: A Retrospective Follow-up Study

Objective: To determine the proportion of patients who return to work after inpatient stroke rehabilitation and to identify demographic, clinical, and functional predictive factors for its success.

Design: A retrospective follow-up study of patients with stroke who were premorbidly working and had completed inpatient rehabilitation in a large metropolitan hospital between January 2016 and December 2017. They underwent a telephone interview at 2 years post discharge.

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation and follow-up post discharge.

Participants: A total of 314 patients with stroke (73.9% male) with mean age of 58.9 at time of stroke (N=314).

Results: A total of 46% of 314 participants returned to work. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, viewing return to work as important (odds ratio [OR], 11.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.15-27.52), absence of language impairment (OR, 9.39; 95% CI, 3.01-29.34), ambulation FIM≥5 (supervision to independence level) on discharge (OR, 4.93; 95% CI, 2.44-9.98), cognitive FIM on discharge ≥25 (OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.19-6.47), employment in premorbid office work (OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.26-5.64), and a lower Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score at discharge (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.68-1.00) were associated with successful return to work.

Conclusions: Viewing return to work as important, absence of language impairments on discharge, discharge ambulation FIM≥5, discharge cognitive FIM≥25, employment in premorbid office work, and a lower discharge CCI score were positive predictors of successful return to work.