Table 2 Relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of factors in 1998 that predicted self-reported sickness absence 1–12 days (n = 399) and >12 days (n = 267) because of MSD in 2000 (total n = 3036)
From: Low back pain and widespread pain predict sickness absence among industrial workers
Risk factor (1998) | Number of exposed individuals | Short-term sickness absence (1–12 days) (2000) (n = 399) | Long-term sickness absence (>12 days) (2000) (n = 267) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n (%) | RR | P | (95% CI) | RR | P | (95% CI) | |
Pain often/very often from: | |||||||
Neck | 516 (17.1) | 2.0 | <0.001 | (1.6–2.4) | 2.7 | <0.001 | (2.1–3.4) |
Shoulder | 584 (19.4) | 1.7 | <0.001 | (1.3–2.0) | 2.7 | <0.001 | (2.2–3.4) |
Elbow | 187 (6.2) | 1.6 | 0.005 | (1.2–2.2) | 2.3 | <0.001 | (1.7–3.2) |
Hand | 252 (8.4) | 1.7 | <0.001 | (1.3–2.2) | 2.1 | <0.001 | (1.6–2.8) |
Upper back | 193 (6.4) | 1.7 | 0.002 | (1.2–2.2) | 2.5 | <0.001 | (1.8–3.3) |
Lower back | 633 (21.0) | 2.2 | <0.001 | (1.8–2.6) | 2.7 | <0.001 | (2.1–3.3) |
Hip | 193 (6.4) | 1.5 | 0.013 | (1.1–2.1) | 2.5 | <0.001 | (1.8–3.4) |
Knee | 316 (10.5) | 1.8 | <0.001 | (1.4–2.3) | 2.2 | <0.001 | (1.7–2.9) |
Foot | 196 (6.5) | 2.0 | <0.001 | (1.5–2.6) | 2.4 | <0.001 | (1.7–3.3) |
Widespread pain | |||||||
No body parts | 1588 (52.8) | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||||
One body part | 570 (18.9) | 2.1 | <0.001 | (1.6–2.9) | 2.3 | <0.001 | (1.7–3.3) |
Two or more body parts | 852 (28.3) | 2.8 | <0.001 | (2.3–3.4) | 4.5 | <0.001 | (3.4–5.8) |
Gender | |||||||
Men | 2585 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||||
Women | 418 (13.9) | 1.2 | 0.260 | (0.9–1.5) | 1.1 | 0.40 | (0.8–1.6) |
Job category | |||||||
White collar | 967 | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||||
Blue collar | 1941 (66.7) | 2.3 | <0.001 | (1.8–2.9) | 3.3 | <0.001 | (2.3–4.6) |
Age (years) | |||||||
<30 | 453 (14.9) | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||||
30–50 | 1933 (63.8) | 1.1 | 0.34 | (0.9–1.5) | 1.5 | 0.026 | (1.0–2.2) |
>50 | 645 (21.3) | 0.8 | 0.16 | (0.6–1.1) | 1.4 | 0.10 | (0.9–2.2) |
Shift work | 1344 (46.4) | 1.4 | 0.001 | (1.1–1.7) | 1.1 | 0.32 | (0.9–1.4) |
Smoking | 1287 (43.3) | 1.4 | <0.001 | (1.2–1.7) | 1.1 | 0.24 | (0.9–1.4) |
Body mass index (BMI) | |||||||
Normal (20–24.9) | 1395 (46.6) | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||||
Low (<20) | 65 (2.2) | 0.8 | 0.50 | (0.4–1.6) | 0.6 | 0.35 | (0.2–1.8) |
High (>25) | 1532 (51.2) | 1.0 | 0.70 | (0.9–1.2) | 1.3 | 0.018 | (1.0–1.7) |
Physical activity | |||||||
<2 hours/week | 1169 (39.0) | 1.0 | 1.0 | ||||
2–5 hours/week | 1319 (44.0) | 0.8 | 0.032 | (0.7–1.0) | 0.8 | 0.19 | (0.7–1.1) |
>5 hours/week | 508 (17.0) | 1.0 | 0.76 | (0.7–1.2) | 0.9 | 0.69 | (0.7–1.3) |
High job strain | 1411 (48.4) | 1.7 | <0.01 | (1.4–2.0) | 1.9 | <0.001 | (1.5–2.9) |
Low social support | 1171 (39.8) | 1.2 | 0.037 | (1.0–1.5) | 1.0 | 0.80 | (0.8–1.3) |