Does Blame Impede Health Recovery After Transport Accidents?

Blame towards the wrongdoer can be a source of distress for people who are injured in a transport accident. The association between blame and psychological stress is well investigated. In contrast, not much is known about blame and health-care utilization. It is important to investigate whether blam...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological injury and law 2015-03, Vol.8 (1), p.82-87
Main Authors: Elbers, Nieke A., Collie, Alex, Akkermans, Arno J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidents
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Blame
Brain research
Claims
Clinical Psychology
Compensation
Fatalities
Health care
Health services utilization
Hospitals
Law and Psychology
Length of stay
Mental health
Physical therapists
Physical therapy
Psychiatrists
Psychological distress
Psychologists
Psychology
Recovery
Regression analysis
Spinal cord
Surgeons
Therapists
Traffic accidents & safety
Transportation
Traumatic brain injury
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Summary:Blame towards the wrongdoer can be a source of distress for people who are injured in a transport accident. The association between blame and psychological stress is well investigated. In contrast, not much is known about blame and health-care utilization. It is important to investigate whether blame is associated with health-care consumption because it may contribute to our knowledge about what factors have an effect on recovery after transport accidents. The current study involved a total of 2940 participants, who were selected from a compensation database in Victoria, Australia. Health-care utilization, in general, and utilization of psychologist and physiotherapist visits, in particular, were defined as the outcome. In contrast to a previous study, it was found that blaming the other was associated with greater health-care utilization, in general, and psychologists and physiotherapist visits, specifically. Another relevant finding was that, although the study involved a sample that was created to show an equal ratio of blame/no-blame, 61 % blamed the other driver; therefore, blame may be a motive to lodge a claim. Finally, we discuss the role that psychologists and claim managers could play in reducing feelings of blame in order to reduce health-care utilization and possibly improve recovery.
ISSN:1938-971X
1938-9728
DOI:10.1007/s12207-015-9215-5