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Contents
- Abstract
- PTSD and Comorbid Disorders Following Work-related Trauma
- Work-Related Trauma and Compensation Insurance
- Method
- Results
- Review and Examples of State WC Insurance Laws
- Review and Examples of the Federal WC Insurance Laws
- Implications for Policy and Patient Care
- Lack of parity in WC insurance between physical and mental health injuries
- Lack of reliance on psychological science
- The Cost of Untreated Work-Related Mental Health Injuries
- Summary and Recommendations
Abstract
The current review examines work-related traumatic events, with particular focus on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a potential mental health outcome. Despite considerable empirical knowledge about trauma and PTSD, a gap exists with respect to laws undergirding Workers Compensation (WC) insurance coverage for work-related mental health injuries. In this article, state and federal WC statutes are examined with an eye toward coverage of PTSD following work-related trauma. Examples of differences between states, as well as state-specific idiosyncratic facets of WC laws, are discussed. Federal WC programs are also examined. Two policy issues are highlighted: (a) lack of parity between WC coverage for work-related physical versus mental health injuries and (b) lack of reliance on psychological science in scripting legislation and determining WC benefits. The cost of untreated PTSD following work-related trauma is examined, focusing on costs to the individual, the employer, and society at large. The authors provide 3 recommendations designed to address discrepancies related to compensable psychological injuries following work-related trauma exposure.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was introduced into the formal diagnostic lexicon in 1980 (American Psychiatric Association, 1980). Official recognition of the disorder sparked intense interest and study, which allowed substantial progress in the effective assessment and treatment of PTSD in a variety of populations (see Beck & Sloan, 2012). The current review will examine work-related traumatic events, with particular focus on PTSD as a potential mental health sequel. Despite a considerable knowledge base about trauma and PTSD, a gap exists with respect to laws undergirding insurance coverage for work-related mental health injuries. These discrepancies have significant implications for policy and patient care, which we will explore in this review.
PTSD and Comorbid Disorders Following Work-related Trauma
Literature reviews indicate that PTSD is one of most frequent mental health problems related to work disability (e.g., Pitman & Sparr, 1998