Costs by industry and diagnosis among musculoskeletal claims in a state workers compensation system: 1999-2004

• Published in: American journal of industrial medicine Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 276 - 284
• Main Authors: Dunning, Kari K., Davis, Kermit G., Cook, Chad, Kotowski, Susan E., Hamrick, Chris, Jewell, Gregory, Lockey, James
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.03.2010; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Accidents, Occupational - statistics & numerical data; Adult; Age Distribution; back; Biological and medical sciences; carpal tunnel syndrome; Costs and Cost Analysis - statistics & numerical data; Cranial nerves. Spinal roots. Peripheral nerves. Autonomic nervous system. Gustation. Olfaction; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Diseases of the spine; Female; Health Expenditures - statistics & numerical data; Humans; indemnity costs; Industry - classification; Industry - economics; Industry - statistics & numerical data; injury costs; Insurance Claim Reporting - economics; Insurance Claim Reporting - statistics & numerical data; Insurance, Health, Reimbursement - economics; Insurance, Health, Reimbursement - statistics & numerical data; International Classification of Diseases; knee; low back disorders; Male; medical costs; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Musculoskeletal Diseases - classification; Musculoskeletal Diseases - diagnosis; Musculoskeletal Diseases - economics; Musculoskeletal Diseases - epidemiology; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Ohio - epidemiology; Sex Distribution; shoulder; upper extremity; Workers' Compensation - economics; Workers' Compensation - statistics & numerical data; Workplace - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult; United States; North America; America; Ohio; USA, Ohio; Knee; indemnity costs; Compression; Costs; Lumbar spine; Low back pain; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; back; Spine disease; Occupational exposure; Indemnization; Industry; Pain; low back disorders; Compensation; Shoulder; Rachialgia; Worker; Peripheral nerve disease; Diagnosis; Human; Carpal tunnel syndrome; Nervous system diseases; Indemnity; Upper extremity; Trauma; Striated muscle disease; Musculoskeletal disorder; Health economy; injury costs; medical costs; Economic aspect; Cost analysis; Occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0271-3586; 1097-0274
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20774

Background Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a tremendous burden on industry in the United States. However, there is limited understanding of the unique issues relating to specific industry sectors, specifically the frequency and costs of different MSDs. Methods Claim data from 1999 to 2004 from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation were analyzed as a function of industry sector (NAICS industry‐sector categories) and anatomical region (ICD‐9 codes). Results Almost 50% of the claims were lumbar spine (26.9%) or hand/wrist (21.7%). The majority of claims were from manufacturing (25.1%) and service (32.8%) industries. The industries with the highest average costs per claim were transportation, warehouse, and utilities and construction. Across industries, the highest costs per claim were consistently for the lumbar spine, shoulder, and cervical spine body regions. Conclusion This study provides insight into the severity (i.e., medical and indemnity costs) of MSDs across multiple industries, providing data for prioritizing of resources for research and interventions. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:276–284, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.