Elaine A. Tonel DO, MS
Center of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine, UCI

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60 y/o male Ironworker with a longstanding history of chronic back pain due to a lifting injury. He is recovering from a second back surgery. He is dependent on long-acting and short acting narcotics, anxiolytics-Xanax, ativan. About a $2000 is spent a month on medications. He is homebound and has not worked for several years since the injury or participates in any recreational activities.

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Can patients at risk for disability and delayed recovery be identified early?
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Are there risk factors that predict disability?
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Are there interventions or treatments that yield better outcomes for these patients?

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Musculoskeletal conditions are the most expensive non-malignant health problems affecting the working age population.

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Within 5 years, depression (and stress-related conditions) will rank as the second leading cause of disability in industrialized countries.

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Reduced activity in daily living
Engage in fewer social, occupational, and recreational activities
Job loss
Dependence on narcotics, anxiolytics, alcohol, recreation drugs
Mental illness
High medical utilization
Family Conflict

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Symptom-focused interventions do not necessarily yield reductions in disability.
Research is accumulating that symptomfocused interventions are not sufficient to achieve return to work.
In some cases symptom-focused interventions have actually been shown to increase as opposed to decrease disability.

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Excessive negative orientation towards one’s symptoms and health status
Focus excessively on symptoms
Tendency to exaggerate the threat value of symptoms
Helplessness-belief that one is powerless to control or decrease one’s suffering
Poor recovery after surgery, higher levels of pain, higher levels of anxiety, more severe depression, likely to be referred to specialists

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Communication goals may be more important determinants of disability than pain itself.
The interpersonal style of high catastrophizers will interfere with the development of a strong working relationship with the provider. Difficult to connect with
Disclosure techniques important component that targets catastrophic thinking.

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Disclosure Technique-opened ended questions, empathetic reflection, prompting
Let them communicate their “illness/injury story”
Avoid giving advice-unsolicited advice or suggestions will be perceived as criticism
Education
Attention-demanding activity participation to assist patients in disengaging from catastrophic rumination.

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Fear is a common response to distressing physical symptoms.
Fear is common response to distressing psychological symptoms.
Fear promotes avoidance.
Fear promotes escape.
Fear amplifies experience of pain.
Fear leads to avoidance of physical activity of reduced social involvement-disability.

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Longer periods of disability
Premature termination of physical therapy
Less benefit from physical therapy
Lower success of return to work trials.

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Techniques for treating phobias might assist in the treatment of disability.
Exposure techniques can also be and important tool for reducing disability associated with fear.
Exposure techniques: movement/ exercise, activity interventions, volunteer work, modified RTW programs.

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Probability of negative anticipated consequences must be minimized.
Do it until it hurts strategy will increase fear of pain and lead to increased activity avoidance.
Patient’s sense of control must be maximized.
Predict exacerbations.

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Patient’s appraisal of level of disability
Beliefs are central determinants of behavior and roadmaps of behavior.
Family background may be a source
Health professionals play a role
Strong beliefs impair the ability to think in terms of degrees. Automatic reply to a challenging activity is “ I can’t”.

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Longer periods of work disability
Difficult to engage in rehabilitation
Reduced motivation for rehabilitation
Negative expectancies for outcomes.

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Disability beliefs cannot be challenged directly. Patients become strongly anchored in their beliefs when they sense someone is attempting to change their beliefs.
Identify life roles that have discontinued due to pain and illness. Life roles are basis of one’s identity.
Assist patients in resuming life role-relevant activities-more pertinent and relevant
Goal setting, increasing life role activitiescreate reality that is incompatible with beliefs

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Exaggerated sense of loss and blame on someone else.
Most resistant to change than any other painrelated psychosocial factor.
Targets-driver, doctor, employer, insurer
Goals-proving injustice to others, revenge motives
Anger and depression is a vehicle for higher level of pain experiences.
Invalidation increases motivation to provide proof of injustice.

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Longer periods of work disability
Expressions of anger or hostility
Working Alliance challenges
Non-compliance

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Recognize the patient’s losses and suffering
Use language that is consistent “emotionally” with the patient’s communication.
Don’t focus on the positive when they are trying to communicate suffering.
Don’t disagree with their perception of suffering and severity of disability.
Don’t use “yes” “but” language
Validate the emotional experience not the sense of injustice.

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3 Problem Clusters
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Functional Concerns
WorkPlace Concerns
Emotional Concerns

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Authorized a psychological assessment
High catastrophizer, increased levels of depression and anxiety
Identified that had a history of alcohol abuse, childhood physical abuse
Treated with cognitive behavioral therapy
Stopped narcotics, and anxiolytics.
Psychiatrist started SSRI.
Had sex with wife after 5 years, started to travel, and spend time with his grandchildren