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Table 4 Demographics, physical activity level, health- and work-related data of Air force personnel (n = 166)

From: Musculoskeletal disorders and their associations with health- and work-related factors: a cross-sectional comparison between Swedish air force personnel and army soldiers

 

Mean (95%CI)

Fighter pilots

Helicopter pilots

Rear crew

p-value

n = 35

n = 85

n = 46

Age, years

 

35a

(33–38)

42a,b

(40-43)

38b

(36–40)

<.01

Height, m

 

1.82

(1.80–1.84)

1.80

(1.79–1.82)

1.80

(1.78–1.81)

.18

Weight, kg

 

81

(79–84)

83

(81–84)

82

(81–83)

.27

BMI, kg/m2

 

25

(24–25)

25

(24–26)

25

(25–26)

.22

 

% (95%CI)

       

Physical activity level

       

.56

 Low/inactive

 

5.7

(1.6–18.6)

3.6

(1.2–10.1)

2.3

(0.4–15)

 

 Active

 

31.4

(18.6–48.0)

34.9

(25.6–45.7)

22.7

(12.8–36.0)

 

 Highly active

 

62.9

(46.3–76.8)

61.4

(50.7–71.2)

75.0

(60.6–85.4)

 

Physical health

"

      

.16

 Poor

 

5.7

(1.6–18.6)

0

(0–4.3)

0

(0–7.7)

 

 Good

 

54.3

(38.2–69.5)

54.1

(43.6–64.3)

63.0

(48.6–75.5)

 

 Excellent

 

40.0

(25.6–56.4)

45.9

(35.7–56.4)

37.0

(24.5–51.4)

 

Mental health

"

      

.23

 Poor

 

0

(0–9.9)

0

(0–4.4)

0

(0–7.7)

 

 Good

 

40.0

(25.5–56.4)

26.2

(18.0–36.5)

23.9

(13.9–37.9)

 

 Excellent

 

60.0

(43.6–74.5)

73.8

(63.5–82.0)

76.1

(62.1–86.1)

 

Physical environment

"

      

.48

 Poor

 

0

(0–9.9)

1.2

(0.2–6.4)

2.2

(0.4–11.3)

 

 Good

 

40.0

(25.5–56.4)

53.6

(43.0–63.8)

54.3

(40.2–67.9)

 

 Excellent

 

60.0

(43.6–74.5)

45.2

(35.0–55.9)

43.5

(30.2–57.8)

 

Social environment

"

      

.14

 Poor

 

0

(0–9.9)

0

(0–4.4)

0

(0–7.7)

 

 Good

 

54.3

(38.2–69.5)

40.5

(30.6–51.2)

32.6

(20.9–47.0)

 

 Excellent

 

45.7

(30.5–61.8)

59.5

(48.8–69.4)

67.4

(53.0–79.1)

 

Work ability

"

      

.72

 Poor

 

0

(0–9.9)

0

(0–4.4)

2

(0.4–11.3)

 

 Good

 

22.9

(12.1–39.0)

27.4

(19.0–37.8)

23.9

(13.9–37.9)

 

 Excellent

 

77.1

(61.0–87.9)

72.6

(62.3–81.0)

73.9

(59.7–84.4)

 

Uses smokeless tobacco

"

22.9

(12.1–39.0)

21.4

(14.0–31.4)

20.0

(10.9–33.8)

.97

Smoker-yes

"

0

(0–9.9)

0

(0–4.4)

2.2

(0.4–11.3)

.49

Motivated-yes

"

100

(90.1–100)

100

(95.5–100)

100

(92.0–100)

 

Mentally prepared-yes

"

100

(90.1–100)

100

(95.5–100)

100

(92.0–100)

 

Physically prepared-yes

"

97.0

(84.7–99.5)

96.4

(90.0–98.8)

93.3

(82.1–97.7)

.60

Sick-listed -yes

"

16.7c

(7.3–33.6)

12.9

(6.9–23.5)

0c

(0–9.4)

.02

 

Median (IQR)

       

Total air time (hrs)

 

1300*

(700–2000)

2500a,b

(1963–3210)

900b,c

(240–1587)

<.01

Annual air time (hrs)

"

120

(100–140)

130

(95–193)

100

(60–120)

<.01

  1. a = significant difference between fighter pilots and helicopter pilots; b = significant difference between helicopter pilots and rear crew, and c = significant difference between fighter pilots and rear crew. Sick-listed: Fighter pilots (n = 30), helicopter pilots (n = 62), Rear crew (n = 37). Numbers in bold indicate significant difference between groups. BMI Body mass index, CI Confidence Interval