Table 3 Cox regression, relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of factors in 1998 that predicted self-reported days of sickness absence because of MSD less than 12 days and more than 12 days during 2000.

Widespread MSD (0–10)*

1.15

1.07–1.23

<0.001

1.19

1.08–1.31

<0.001

Shoulders (1–5)*

1.15

1.01–1.32

0.034

Lower back (1–5)*

1.24

1.11–1.38

<0.001

1.20

1.06–1.36

0.005

Blue-collar vs. white-collar workers

1.96

1.49–2.58

<0.001

3.04

2.08–4.45

<0.001

Low social support (0–1) **

1.28

1.11–1.49

0.001

Women vs. men (0–1)

1.26

0.93–1.71

0.142

0.95

0.65–1.40

0.802

30–50 vs. <30 years

0.93

0.69–1.26

0.647

1.12

0.74–1.69

0.586

>50 vs. <30 years (0–1)

0.71

0.48–1.05

0.083

1.20

0.74–1.94

0.459