TY - JOUR
T1 - Work characteristics predict the development of multi-site musculoskeletal pain
AU - Oakman, Jodi
AU - de Wind, Astrid
AU - van den Heuvel, Swenne G.
AU - van der Beek, Allard J.
PY - 2017/10/1
Y1 - 2017/10/1
N2 - Purpose: Musculoskeletal pain in more than one body region is common and a barrier to sustaining employment. We aimed to examine whether work characteristics predict the development of multi-site pain (MSP), and to determine differences in work-related predictors between age groups. Methods: This study is based on 5136 employees from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM) who reported no MSP at baseline. Measures included physical, emotional, mental, and psychological job demands, social support and autonomy. Predictors of MSP were studied by logistic regression analyses. Univariate and multivariate analyses with age stratification (45–49, 50–54, 55–59, and 60–64 years) were done to explore differences between age groups. Results: All work characteristics with the exception of autonomy were predictive of the development of MSP, with odds ratios varying from 1.21 (95% CI 1.04–1.40) for mental job demands to 1.63 (95% CI 1.43–1.86) for physical job demands. No clear pattern of age-related differences in the predictors of MSP emerged, with the exception of social support, which was predictive of MSP developing in all age groups except for the age group 60–64 years. Conclusions: Adverse physical and psychosocial work characteristics are associated with MSP. Organisations need to comprehensively assess work environments to ensure that all relevant workplace hazards, physical and psychosocial, are identified and then controlled for across all age groups.
AB - Purpose: Musculoskeletal pain in more than one body region is common and a barrier to sustaining employment. We aimed to examine whether work characteristics predict the development of multi-site pain (MSP), and to determine differences in work-related predictors between age groups. Methods: This study is based on 5136 employees from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM) who reported no MSP at baseline. Measures included physical, emotional, mental, and psychological job demands, social support and autonomy. Predictors of MSP were studied by logistic regression analyses. Univariate and multivariate analyses with age stratification (45–49, 50–54, 55–59, and 60–64 years) were done to explore differences between age groups. Results: All work characteristics with the exception of autonomy were predictive of the development of MSP, with odds ratios varying from 1.21 (95% CI 1.04–1.40) for mental job demands to 1.63 (95% CI 1.43–1.86) for physical job demands. No clear pattern of age-related differences in the predictors of MSP emerged, with the exception of social support, which was predictive of MSP developing in all age groups except for the age group 60–64 years. Conclusions: Adverse physical and psychosocial work characteristics are associated with MSP. Organisations need to comprehensively assess work environments to ensure that all relevant workplace hazards, physical and psychosocial, are identified and then controlled for across all age groups.
KW - Ageing
KW - Multi-site pain
KW - Musculoskeletal disorders
KW - Physical hazards
KW - Psychosocial hazards
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85019104406&origin=inward
UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28488112
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019104406&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-017-1228-9
DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-017-1228-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 28488112
SN - 0340-0131
VL - 90
SP - 653
EP - 661
JO - International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
JF - International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
IS - 7
ER -