Reoccurring injury, chronic health conditions, and behavioral health gender differences in the causes of workers' compensation claims

Objective: The aim of this study was o examine how work and nonwork health-related factors contribute to workers' compensation (WC) claims by gender. Methods: Workers (N16, 926) were enrolled in the Pinnacol Assurance Health Risk Management study, a multiyear, longitudinal research program assessing small and medium-sized enterprises in Colorado. Hypotheses were tested using gender-stratified logistic regression models. Results: For both women and men, having incurred a prior WC claim increased the odds of a future claim. The combination of incurring a prior claim and having metabolic health conditions resulted in lower odds of a future claim. Behavioral health risk factors increased the odds of having a claim more so among women than among men. Conclusion: This study provides data to support multifactorial injury theories, and the need for injury prevention efforts that consider workplace conditions as well as worker health.