Classification and Review of Factors Influencing Return-to-Work Timelines After Occupational Injuries

Ankita Rana

Abstract: The article presents a comprehensive classification and critical review of factors influencing return-to-work (RTW) timelines after occupational injuries, from an interdisciplinary perspective and using predictive modeling. The research relevance is driven not only by the socio-economic magnitude of the issue, but also by an increasing need for evidence-based strategies to manage work sustainability. The objective is to systematize and classify biological, psychological, organizational, and regulatory determinants shaping the duration of work disability, and to compare traditional clinical approaches with contemporary predictive analytics tools. The novelty lies in integrating the conceptual model of the Arena for Work Disability Prevention with modern machine-learning methods, thereby constructing a holistic, multi-level schema of influences that range from individual attitudes and psychophysiological resources to institutional regulators and macroeconomic conditions. The main findings demonstrate that disability duration emerges from the interaction of four circuits: personal, workplace, healthcare, and regulatory. It is shown that graded RTW programs, cognitive-behavioral and organizational interventions, and coordinated participation by the physician, employer, and insurer can shorten the average time-to-work resumption by several weeks. The article is intended for researchers in occupational medicine and rehabilitation, occupational safety professionals, healthcare managers, and developers of digital solutions for predictive monitoring of work sustainability.

Keywords: return to work, occupational injuries, work disability, biopsychosocial factors

How to Cite?: Ankita Rana, "Classification and Review of Factors Influencing Return-to-Work Timelines After Occupational Injuries", Volume 15 Issue 1, January 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 787-793, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26112135839, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26112135839