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Table 7 Prevalence ratios (PR) of 12-months prevalence of symptoms

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

Women

n = 306

n = 75

n = 59

n = 73

 neck/cervical spine

1 (ref.)

1.0 (0.9 – 1.2)

1.3 (1.1 – 1.5)

1.2 (1.0 – 1.4)

 shoulder/upper arm

1 (ref.)

1.2 (0.9 – 1.5)

1.4 (1.1 – 1.7)

1.3 (1.0 – 1.6)

 elbow/forearm

1 (ref.)

1.6 (0.9 – 2.7)

1.9 (1.2 – 3.1)

2.9 (2.0 – 4.3)

 hand/wrist

1 (ref.)

0.9 (0.5 – 1.4)

1.8 (1.3 – 2.6)

2.7 (2.1 – 3.5)

 lower back/lumbar spine

1 (ref.)

0.8 (0.5 – 1.2)

2.0 (1.6 – 2.6)

2.0 (1.6 – 2.6)

Men

n = 498

n = 173

n = 23

n = 239

 neck/cervical spine

1 (ref.)

1.0 (0.8 – 1.2)

1.6 (1.3 – 2.0)

1.1 (0.9 – 1.3)

 shoulder/upper arm

1 (ref.)

1.0 (0.8 – 1.3)

2.0 (1.5 – 2.8)

1.6 (1.4 – 2.0)

 elbow/forearm

1 (ref.)

1.1 (0.7 – 1.6)

1.2 (0.5 – 3.2)

2.7 (2.0 – 3.5)

 hand/wrist

1 (ref.)

1.2 (0.8 – 1.6)

2.7 (1.7 – 4.4)

3.2 (2.6 – 4.1)

 lower back/lumbar spine

1 (ref.)

1.2 (0.9 – 1.6)

2.8 (2.0 – 4.0)

2.9 (2.4 – 3.5)

  1. *Prevalence Ratios (PR) of symptoms in different body regions stratified by exposure to manual handling operations (MHO) according to KIM-MHO risk categories. Significant values are marked in bold letters. [Prevalence Ratios, 95%-CI. Log-linear Poisson regression, robust estimation of variance. Each model adjusted by age, body-mass-index and body height]