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Table 2 Hazard ratios (HR) for any acute injury (AI) and severe acute injury (severe AI) incidence by most important socioeconomic, health and health behaviour variables at baseline

From: Risk factors of acute and overuse musculoskeletal injuries among young conscripts: a population-based cohort study

Baseline variable

Category

Total number (% of experienced AI; % of experienced severe AI)

HR for AI incidence (n = 386)*

HR for AI incidence (n = 354)**

HR for severe AI incidence (≥7 service days lost) (n = 89)*

HR for severe AI incidence (≥7 service days lost) (n = 81)**

Socioeconomic variables

     

Age

18–19 years

1052 (27; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

 

20–28 years

359 (27; 6)

1.1 (0.8–1.3)

1.0 (0.8–1.3)

1.1 (0.7–1.7)

1.1 (0.7–1.8)

Father's occupation

Not physical

488 (24; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

 

Physical

590 (29; 7)

1.3 (1.0–1.6)

1.2 (1.0–1.6)

1.0 (0.6–1.7)

1.0 (0.6–1.6)

 

Unclear or unemployed

302 (28; 6)

1.2 (0.9–1.6)

1.1 (0.8–1.4)

0.9 (0.5–1.6)

0.8 (0.4–1.5)

School success (educational level and grades combined)

Excellent1

218 (20; 4)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

Good2

608 (28; 5)

1.5 (1.1–2.1)

1.5 (1.1–2.1)

1.4 (0.6–3.0)

1.5 (0.6–3.7)

Satisfactory3

467 (27; 8)

1.5 (1.1–2.1)

1.4 (0.9–2.0)

2.4 (1.1–5.2)

2.5 (1.0–6.3)

 

Poor4

96 (35; 13)

2.5 (1.6–3.9)

2.4 (1.5–3.9)

4.5 (1.8–11.1)

5.3 (1.9–15.1)

Urbanisation level of the place of residence

Countryside

227 (23; 5)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

Town, < 10000 inhabitants

310 (25; 8)

1.1 (0.8–1.6)

1.0 (0.7–1.4)

1.5 (0.7–3.0)

1.3 (0.6–2.5)

 

City, ≥ 10000 inhabitants

552 (27; 5)

1.2 (0.9–1.7)

1.1 (0.8–1.5)

1.0 (0.5–2.0)

0.9 (0.4–1.8)

 

City, ≥ 90000 inhabitants

298 (33; 8)

1.5 (1.1–2.1)

1.5 (1.1–2.2)

1.4 (0.7–2.9)

1.5 (0.7–3.0)

Company

Anti–tank company

263 (24; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

 

Signal company

540 (27; 6)

1.3 (0.9–1.7)

1.2 (0.9–1.7)

0.9 (0.5–1.7)

1.0 (0.6–2.0)

 

Mortar company

363 (21; 5)

1.2 (0.9–1.7)

1.2 (0.8–1.7)

1.2 (0.6–2.2)

1.4 (0.7–3.0)

 

Engineer company

245 (40; 9)

1.9 (1.4–2.6)

1.9 (1.3–2.6)

1.5 (0.8–2.9)

1.6 (0.8–3.2)

Health variables

      

Body mass index 5 (BMI = (kg) / (m)2)

Underweight (<18.5)

56 (21; 2)

0.9 (0.5–1.5)

0.9 (0.5–1.6)

0.3 (0.1–2.4)

0.3 (0.1–2.3)

Normal (18.5 − 25.0)

812 (26; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

 

Pre–obese (25.0 − 30.0)

300 (29; 7)

1.1 (0.9–1.4)

1.1 (0.8–1.4)

1.2 (0.7–2.0)

1.1 (0.6–1.8)

 

Obese (≥30.0)

104 (40; 12)

1.7 (1.2–2.3)

1.3 (0.9–1.9)

2.0 (1.1–3.8)

1.2 (0.6–2.4)

Waist circumference (WC, cm)

Thin (<80 cm)

271 (25; 4)

1.0 (0.8–1.3)

1.0 (0.8–1.4)

0.8 (0.4–1.6)

0.9 (0.4–1.6)

Average (80 – 93.5 cm)

739 (27; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

 

Increased (94 – 101.5 cm)

178 (32; 7)

1.2 (0.9–1.7)

1.1 (0.8–1.5)

1.3 (0.7–2.4)

1.0 (0.5–1.8)

 

High (≥102 cm)

122 (32; 11)

1.3 (0.9–1.9)

1.1 (0.8–1.7)

2.2 (1.2–3.9)

1.4 (0.7–2.7)

Sum factor of musculoskeletal symptoms

Minimal symptoms6

440 (25; 5)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

Mild symptoms7

548 (28; 6)

1.2 (0.9–1.5)

1.2 (0.9–1.5)

1.2 (0.7–2.0)

1.0 (0.6–1.7)

Clear symptoms8

400 (30; 8)

1.4 (1.0–1.8)

1.2 (0.9–1.6)

1.8 (1.0–3.0)

1.3 (0.8–2.3)

Chronic disease

No

1012 (28; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

 

Yes

377 (26; 7)

1.0 (0.8–1.2)

1.0 (0.8–1.2)

1.1 (0.7–1.8)

1.1 (0.7–1.8)

Sports injury during last month

No

1254 (27; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

Yes

130 (29; 10)

1.2 (0.8–1.6)

1.2 (0.8–1.6)

1.8 (1.0–3.3)

2.0 (1.1–3.6)

Health behaviour variables

     

Smoking habits

Never smoked regularly

735 (25; 5)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

 

Has smoked regularly

650 (30; 8)

1.3 (1.1–1.6)

1.2 (0.9–1.6)

1.6 (1.0–2.4)

1.2 (0.7–1.9)

Use of alcohol 9

<3 times per week

1148 (26; 5)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

 

≥3 times per week

240 (33; 12)

1.3 (1.0–1.6)

1.1 (0.8–1.4)

2.3 (1.5–3.6)

2.0 (1.2–3.2)

Drunkenness before military service

<1 time per week

1075 (26; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

≥1 time per week

313 (31; 9)

1.3 (1.0–1.6)

1.1 (0.8–1.4)

1.6 (1.0–2.5)

1.1 (0.7–1.9)

Sweating exercise (Brisk leisure time sport)

≥3 times per week

438 (27; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1–2 times per week

415 (28; 5)

1.0 (0.8–1.3)

1.0 (0.7–1.3)

0.8 (0.5–1.4)

0.7 (0.4–1.2)

 

Only leisured exercise

257 (27; 7)

1.1 (0.8–1.5)

0.9 (0.7–1.3)

1.2 (0.7–2.2)

0.9 (0.4–1.7)

 

No physical exercise

278 (27; 7)

1.1 (0.9–1.5)

1.0 (0.7–1.4)

1.3 (0.7–2.3)

0.8 (0.4–1.6)

Belongs to a sports club

Yes, active member

206 (30; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

 

No

1177 (27; 6)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

1.1 (0.6–2.0)

1.1 (0.6–2.1)

Participates in competitive sports

Yes

180 (31; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

No

1206 (27; 8)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

0.8 (0.6–1.1)

0.8 (0.5–1.5)

0.8 (0.4–1.4)

Last degree in school sports

Good or excellent

1101 (28; 6)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

1 (Referent)

Poor or fair

286 (24; 6)

1.0 (0.8–1.3)

0.9 (0.7–1.2)

1.1 (0.7–1.9)

0.7 (0.4–1.4)

  1. Variable distribution was charted in 1411 male conscripts during the first week of military service and discharge outcomes were registered during the following 6-month military service.
  2. Statistically significant (p< 0.05) findings are indicated with bold type.
  3. *Adjusted for age (univariate).
  4. **Acute: **Adjusted for age, company, smoking (previous or current smoker), frequency of drunkenness, baseline medical conditions (sum factor of earlier musculoskeletal symptoms, sports injury during the last month before entering the military), school success (educational level and grades combined), urbanisation level of the place of residence, waist circumference and physical fitness measured as a standing long jump test result.
  5. 1Attended upper secondary school, polytechnic, or university and reported excellent or good grades.
  6. 2Other subjects from upper secondary school, polytechnic, or university and conscripts from vocational school whose grades were excellent or good.
  7. 3Respondents with poorer grades in vocational school.
  8. 4Attended only comprehensive school or had permanently interrupted vocational or upper elementary school.
  9. 5Not adjusted by waist circumference since BMI and WC are strongly interconnected (χ2-test, p < 0.001).
  10. 6‘Minimal symptoms’: maximum of 7 days in one anatomical region during the last month before military entry.
  11. 7'Mild symptoms’: maximum of 7 days in 2 to 6 anatomical regions during the last month before military entry.
  12. 8'Clear symptoms’: included the remaining conscripts i.e. those with symptoms more than 8 days or more.
  13. 9Not adjusted by frequency of drunkenness since drunkenness and use of alcohol are strongly interconnected (χ2-test, p < 0.001).
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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

ISSN: 1471-2474

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