Factors Influencing Social and Health Outcomes after Land Transport Injury:cohort study (The FISH Study)

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A limited amount is known about the key determinants of the health and social outcomes for people who have sustained an injury as a result of a land transport crash and, in particular, the extent to which determinants specifically related to the compensation process are relevant. The proposed investigation will seek to: 1) Identify individual and system factors influencing the health and social outcomes of people who have sustained an injury related to a land transport crash and who seek compensation through a compulsory third party (CTP) compensation scheme; 2) Identify individual and system factors influencing the health and social outcomes of people who have sustained a non­compensable injury in a land transport crash in NSW; 3) Identify the key factors that explain the differences between those who apply for compensation and those who are eligible to apply but do not. There are a number of domains, which relate to the individual and the system, which will be explored: ­ Characteristics related to the individual that influence the likelihood of applying for compensation ­ Characteristics related to the health service experience process ­ Characteristics related to the claims process ­ Characteristics related to the liability and fault process ­ Characteristics related to the legal representation process The study will utilise an inception cohort design, with a sample size of 1,500 participants aged 17 years or older, who are injured as a result of a crash involving a motorised vehicle in NSW and who have been diagnosed with an injury within 28 days of the crash. Recruitment will be through metropolitan and rural hospital emergency departments, general practitioners, physiotherapy clinics, police crash records and the Motor Accidents Authority claims database. People with severe injury, those unable to give consent due to cognitive impairment, those with minor localised soft tissue injury, those with a self harm related injury or those where a family member has died as a result of the crash, will be excluded. Data about health and social recovery outcomes and variables that potentially influence these outcomes will be collected by questionnaire administered by telephone or by written questionnaire for people who are deaf or prefer to complete a written questionnaire. There will be a focus on key variables identified in the literature that are associated with health outcomes. The questionnaire will be no longer than 45 minutes and be conducted at baseline (within 28 days of the motor vehicle crash), 6, 12 and 24 months post­injury. Detailed statistical analyses will explore the associations and interactions between the measured variables and health and social recovery outcomes.