Large international variation in the prevalence of disabling forearm and low back pain was only partially explained by established personal and socioeconomic risk factors.
To compare the prevalence ...of disabling low back pain (DLBP) and disabling wrist/hand pain (DWHP) among groups of workers carrying out similar physical activities in different cultural environments, and to explore explanations for observed differences, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in 18 countries. Standardised questionnaires were used to ascertain pain that interfered with everyday activities and exposure to possible risk factors in 12,426 participants from 47 occupational groups (mostly nurses and office workers). Associations with risk factors were assessed by Poisson regression. The 1-month prevalence of DLBP in nurses varied from 9.6% to 42.6%, and that of DWHP in office workers from 2.2% to 31.6%. Rates of disabling pain at the 2 anatomical sites covaried (r=0.76), but DLBP tended to be relatively more common in nurses and DWHP in office workers. Established risk factors such as occupational physical activities, psychosocial aspects of work, and tendency to somatise were confirmed, and associations were found also with adverse health beliefs and group awareness of people outside work with musculoskeletal pain. However, after allowance for these risk factors, an up-to 8-fold difference in prevalence remained. Systems of compensation for work-related illness and financial support for health-related incapacity for work appeared to have little influence on the occurrence of symptoms. Our findings indicate large international variation in the prevalence of disabling forearm and back pain among occupational groups carrying out similar tasks, which is only partially explained by the personal and socioeconomic risk factors that were analysed.
In a large cross-sectional survey, pain affecting 6–10 anatomical sites showed substantially different associations with risk factors from pain limited to 1–3 sites.
To explore definitions for ...multisite pain, and compare associations with risk factors for different patterns of musculoskeletal pain, we analysed cross-sectional data from the Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability (CUPID) study. The study sample comprised 12,410 adults aged 20–59years from 47 occupational groups in 18 countries. A standardised questionnaire was used to collect information about pain in the past month at each of 10 anatomical sites, and about potential risk factors. Associations with pain outcomes were assessed by Poisson regression, and characterised by prevalence rate ratios (PRRs). Extensive pain, affecting 6–10 anatomical sites, was reported much more frequently than would be expected if the occurrence of pain at each site were independent (674 participants vs 41.9 expected). In comparison with pain involving only 1–3 sites, it showed much stronger associations (relative to no pain) with risk factors such as female sex (PRR 1.6 vs 1.1), older age (PRR 2.6 vs 1.1), somatising tendency (PRR 4.6 vs 1.3), and exposure to multiple physically stressing occupational activities (PRR 5.0 vs 1.4). After adjustment for number of sites with pain, these risk factors showed no additional association with a distribution of pain that was widespread according to the frequently used American College of Rheumatology criteria. Our analysis supports the classification of pain at multiple anatomical sites simply by the number of sites affected, and suggests that extensive pain differs importantly in its associations with risk factors from pain that is limited to only a small number of anatomical sites.
The aims of this study were to describe job-specific factors and prevalence of musculoskeletal pains (MSPs) by the occupation and body regions in the past 12 months and past month, to analyse ...multisite and disabling pain and sick leave among office workers (OW), nurses and caregivers (CG); and to find relationships between the observed indicators. The study groups were selected by random sample method. Questionnaire responses on demographic parameters, job-specific factors, and MSPs by body parts in the past 12 months (MSP-12) and past month (MSP-1) were analysed. A questionnaire was sent to 1291 participants. The response rate was 54%. Most of the participants were women, with mean age 41.2 (±11.5) years, working on average 42.8 (±6.7) hours per week and had service length more than five years. Repetitive movements of wrist/hands and working under time pressure were more often reported risk factors by the nurses. Lifting weights 25 kg and more, climbing up and down, kneeling more than one hour a day and piecework finished in the work shift were the most often reported job-related risk factors for the CGs. Use of a keyboard was the same frequent work-related risk factor for the OWs. The most prevalent MSP-12 was low back pain for CGs (66.3%) and nurses (56.1%) and neck pain for OWs (51.5%). The most often reported MSP-1 was shoulder pain for nurses and OWs (84.4% and 65.7%, correspondingly), and elbow pain for CGs (74.9%). In the the entire sampled group, low back pain (53.9%) in the past 12 months and shoulder pain (70.9%) in the past month were the most often reported pain regions. A higher prevalence of multiple and disabling MSP and sickness absence were reported by CGs, compared to other occupation groups (
< 0.05). Correlation analysis showed positive relationships between job-related risk factors, like repetitive movements, physical load, and time demands, and MSPs and sick leave, especially among CGs (
< 0.05). Job-specific factors need more attention to prevent multiple and disabling pain and sick leave among office and hospital workers.
Objectives To quantify the variation in rates of absence due to musculoskeletal pain across 47 occupational groups (mostly nurses and office workers) from 18 countries, and to explore personal and ...group-level risk factors that might explain observed differences. Methods A standardised questionnaire was used to obtain information about musculoskeletal pain, sickness absence and possible risk factors in a cross-sectional survey of 12 416 workers (92–1017 per occupational group). Additionally, group-level data on socioeconomic variables, such as sick pay and unemployment rates, were assembled by members of the study team in each country. Associations of sickness absence with risk factors were examined by Poisson regression. Results Overall, there were more than 30-fold differences between occupational groups in the 12-month prevalence of prolonged musculoskeletal sickness absence, and even among office workers carrying out similar occupational tasks, the variation was more than tenfold. Personal risk factors included older age, lower educational level, tendency to somatise, physical loading at work and prolonged absence for non-musculoskeletal illness. However, these explained little of the variation between occupational groups. After adjustment for individual characteristics, prolonged musculoskeletal sickness absence was more frequent in groups with greater time pressure at work, lower job control and more adverse beliefs about the work-relatedness of musculoskeletal disorders. Conclusions Musculoskeletal sickness absence might be reduced by eliminating excessive time pressures in work, maximising employees’ responsibility and control and providing flexibility of duties for those with disabling symptoms. Care should be taken not to overstate work as a cause of musculoskeletal injury.
Objectives We describe the prevalence of musculo-skeletal disorders (MSD) among Estonian office workers, nurses and caregivers. Methods A postal survey was carried out in 2008, in course of ...international study “Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability” (CUPID). The study group, office workers of Tartu University and Estonian University of Life Sciences and nurses of Tartu University Hospital and caregivers from Estonian hospitals and nursing centres, responded to the questions about MSD-s in past 12 months (low back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand, knees). Results The response rate for whole study group was 56% (n=643): office workers 59% (n=220), nurses 57% (n=237), caregivers 52% (n=186). Participants were in average age 40±11,5 years, 95% of them were female and 76% worked 40 h per week. Over the 12 months prior to the survey 33% of respondents had at least one MSD lasted 1–6 days and 66% reported an MSD present for at least 7 days. MSD prevalence by regions differed by occupation. The highest low back pain reported caregivers (63%), then nurses (55%) and office workers (42%) (p<0.0001). The highest wrist/hand pain had office workers (p<0.006). Of the MSD-s 1321 reported by 643 respondents, only 139 (10,5%) took time off work and more often caregivers (p<0.0001). Age, gender, ethnicity, working hours and experience didn't influence the prevalence of MSDs. Conclusions The prevalence of low back pain was highest for caregivers and/hand wrist pain for office workers. In most part pain lasted longer than 7 days but time off work was taken rare.
The CUPID Coggon, David; Ntani, Georgia; Palmer, Keith T ...
PloS one,
07/2012, Letnik:
7, Številka:
7
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The CUPID (Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability) study was established to explore the hypothesis that common musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and associated disability are importantly ...influenced by culturally determined health beliefs and expectations. This paper describes the methods of data collection and various characteristics of the study sample. A standardised questionnaire covering musculoskeletal symptoms, disability and potential risk factors, was used to collect information from 47 samples of nurses, office workers, and other (mostly manual) workers in 18 countries from six continents. In addition, local investigators provided data on economic aspects of employment for each occupational group. Participation exceeded 80% in 33 of the 47 occupational groups, and after pre-specified exclusions, analysis was based on 12,426 subjects (92 to 1018 per occupational group). As expected, there was high usage of computer keyboards by office workers, while nurses had the highest prevalence of heavy manual lifting in all but one country. There was substantial heterogeneity between occupational groups in economic and psychosocial aspects of work; three- to five-fold variation in awareness of someone outside work with musculoskeletal pain; and more than ten-fold variation in the prevalence of adverse health beliefs about back and arm pain, and in awareness of terms such as "repetitive strain injury" (RSI). The large differences in psychosocial risk factors (including knowledge and beliefs about MSDs) between occupational groups should allow the study hypothesis to be addressed effectively.
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