Returning to work after a stroke: a retrospective study at the Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Center La Tour de Gassies.

OBJECTIVE

To study work re-entry by patients having suffered a stroke at least 3 years previously.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective survey in which a questionnaire was administered to all patients admitted after a first stroke to the "La Tour de Gassies" Centre for Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (CPRM) in France between January 2005 and June 2007 and who were in work at the time of the incident.

RESULTS

Fifty-six of the 72 included patients (78%) completed and returned the survey questionnaire. The mean age at the time of the stroke was 48.3±10.1. Eighteen (32.1%) of the 56 patients returned to work after their stroke (mean post-stroke time interval: 19.2±13.4 months). Negative prognostic factors for a return to work were living alone, the presence of severe functional impairment and the presence of speech disorders. Positive prognostic factors included specific, professional support and early involvement of the occupational physician. Patients who resumed driving were more likely to return to work and there was a positive correlation between the time to work re-entry and the time to resumption of driving.

CONCLUSION

Close cooperation between occupational health services and CPRM appears to be necessary to speed the return to work by stroke patients.