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Table 5 Estimated mean 12-months prevalence of symptoms by exposure to MHO

From: Risk assessment of manual handling operations at work with the key indicator method (KIM-MHO) — determination of criterion validity regarding the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and clinical conditions within a cross-sectional study

Body regions by gender*

Risk category 1 (Reference)

Employees in jobs with low MHO, < 10 points KIM-MHO

Risk category 2

Employees in jobs with MHO, 10 – 24 points KIM-MHO

Risk category 3

Employees in jobs with MHO, 25 – 49 points KIM-MHO

Risk category 4

Employees in jobs with MHO, ≥ 50 points KIM-MHO

All employees

Women

n = 306

n = 75

n = 59

n = 73

n = 513

 neck/cervical spine

66.3% (61.1% – 71.9%)

68.1% (58.0% – 80.0%)

84.2% (75.5% – 93.8%)

78.7% (69.3% – 89.4%)

74.0% (69.6% – 78.6%)

 shoulder/upper arm

45.6% (40.3% – 51.7%)

53.2% (42.5% – 66.5%)

62.3% (51.4% – 75.5%)

57.1% (47.3% – 69.1%)

54.2% (49.3% – 59.6%)

 elbow/forearm

13.5% (10.1% – 18.1%)

21.2% (13.4% – 33.5%)

26.0% (17.9% – 37.9%)

39.7% (30.3% – 52.0%)

23.3% (19.3% – 28.1%)

 hand/wrist

25.0% (20.5% – 30.5%)

21.3% (13.7% – 33.3%)

46.1% (35.0% – 60.6%)

67.7% (57.0% – 80.5%)

35.9% (30.9% – 41.7%)

 lower back/lumbar spine

34.3% (29.3% – 40.2%)

26.4% (18.1% – 38.6%)

69.3% (58.1% – 82.6%)

69.9% (59.3% – 82.3%)

45.7% (40.6% – 51.5%)

Men

n = 498

n = 173

n = 23

n = 239

n = 933

 neck/ cervical spine

48.7% (44.5% – 53.4%)

46.7% (39.8% – 54.8%)

77.7% (62.7% – 96.5%)

52.2% (46.0% – 59.3%)

55.1% (51.0% – 59.6%)

 shoulder/upper arm

32.2% (28.3% – 36.6%)

31.5% (25.4% – 39.2%)

65.1% (48.8% – 86.9%)

52.6% (46.2% – 59.9%)

43.2% (39.0% – 47.8%)

 elbow/forearm

14.0% (11.2% – 17.3%)

15.2% (10.6% – 21.7%)

17.3% (6.9% – 43.3%)

37.1% (31.0% – 44.4%)

19.2% (14.9% – 24.8%)

 hand/wrist

17.9% (14.8% – 21.7%)

20.7% (15.4% – 27.9%)

49.2% (32.2% – 75.0%)

58.1% (51.6% – 65.4%)

32.1% (27.9% – 36.9%)

 lower back/lumbar spine

23.6% (20.1% – 27.7%)

27.4% (21.6% – 34.9%)

66.9% (50.0% – 89.4%)

68.6% (62.5% – 75.3%)

41.5% (37.4% – 46.1%)

  1. *Estimated mean prevalence of symptoms in different body regions stratified by exposure to manual handling operations (MHO) according to KIM-MHO risk categories. [Prevalence, 95%-CI, adjusted by age, body-mass-index and body height]