Retrospective analysis of disability reports prepared by Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine Department of Forensic Medicine between the years of 2018-2021 and review according to the uptodate regulations

The preparing of disability reports has importance in Forensic Medicine practices. Depending on the date of the event, different regulations are used in the determination of disability caused by traumatic events such as traffic accidents and occupational accidents. Because of the traumatic event date is different, different disability rates are calculated between people with the same event and the same injuries. In this study, it was aimed to examine the regulations used in disability rate calculation, to determine the differences between these regulations and to propose solutions on how to eliminate these differences. Disability reports of 359 cases prepared by Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine Department of Forensic Medicine between 2018-2021 were studied retrospectively. By studying the medical records in the reports and in the hospital information management system, for each case, medical data was obtained such as age, type of traumatic event, the medical history of the traumatic event like number of operations and hospitilazations and pathologies which can be used to evaluate disability. Disability rates were calculated for each case with taking into account the provisions of the Regulation on Determination of Loss of Working Power and Profitability (RLWP) and the Regulation on Disability Assessment for Adults (RAA). The obtained data were analyzed with statistical analysis methods. It was determined that the average of the disability rates from the RLWP was 16.9±24.7, the average of the disability rates from the RAA was 13.1±20.4, and the difference between them was found to be statistically significant. It was determined that there was a strong positive correlation (rho=0,808) between the disability rates taken from the RLWP and the disability rates from the RAA. Considering the distribution of the pathologies used for evaluating disability rates, it was seen that the most common pathologies are related to locomotor system, especially joint movement limitation. It was found that there was no significant difference between the age groups in terms of disability rate in both scales (RAA and RLWP) at analysis of cases by grouping them into ten age groups.