산재보험 이용여부가 건강문제로 인한 노동 미복귀에 미치는 영향: 직업성 손상을 중심으로

This study aims to assess the effect of the take-up of Workers' compensation (WC) on health-related worklessness (HRW) among injured workers in Korea. Discrete-time survival analysis with propensity score weighting was performed to compare HRW between two groups (WC recipient vs. others) using Korea Health Panel data for Year 2008-2013. Socioeconomic status, employment characteristics at the time of workplace injury, severity of injuries, and health status were considered in the model. A total of 740 injured workers (2,729 person-year) were included in the analysis. Socioeconomic status of injured workers was lower than that of the general Korean working population. Only 17.3% of total injured workers and 25.6% of injured paid-workers received benefits under the WC system. However, WC recipients were less likely to return-to-work due to health problems. Temporary workers and those who got more serious injury were more likely to experience HRW. The results suggest that the effective coverage of WC should be expanded, and medical treatment and rehabilitation in the WC system should be improved to facilitate return-to-work for injured workers. It is also necessary to re-align incentive mechanisms in the WC for injured workers, health care doctors, and employers.