Table 4 Multi-exposure models adjusted for pain at baseline in the total study population (n = 1115) of associations between self-reported ergonomic, psychosocial and personal factors at baseline, and musculoskeletal pain in the neck, shoulders, hands, lower back and feet at follow-up, calculated with Poisson regression, with overall p-values, prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results in bold face are statistically significant

Pain at baseline^a

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

 no

1

1

1

1

1

 yes

3.01 (2.55–3.56)

2.42 (2.07–2.84)

3.49 (2.83–4.32)

2.75 (2.34–3.24)

4.22 (3.25–5.47)

Sum score of ergonomic factors (scale)^b

1046

0.04

0.11

< 0.01

0.46

0.04

 1

211

1

1

1

1

1

 2

283

1.10 (0.87–1.39)

0.94 (0.75–1.18)

1.01–0.69-1.47)

1.20 (0.94–1.53)

1.04 (0.66–1.64)

 3

321

1.15 (0.91–1.46)

1.09 (0.88–1.35)

1.54 (1.08–2.20)

1.29 (1.01–1.64)

1.18 (0.75–1.86)

 4

231

1.33 (1.01–1.75)

1.14 (0.88–1.46)

1.44 (0.96–2.16)

1.13 (0.85–1.51)

1.64 (0.96–2.79)

Complaints about computer workstation arrangements^b

1065

0.19

0.39

0.21

0.30

0.52

 Satisfied

463

1

1

1

1

1

 Neutral

341

1.16 (0.98–1.36)

1.03 (0.88–1.2)

1.05 (0.83–1.32)

1.20 (1.02–1.42)

1.16 (0.88–1.53)

 Dissatisfied

261

1.13 (0.95–1.35)

1.07 (0.92–1.25)

0.86 (0.66–1.13)

1.08 (0.88–1.31)

0.88 (0.61–1.27)

Sum score of psychosocial factors (scale) ^b

1070

0.01

0.001

0.48

0.13

0.10

 0

337

1

1

1

1

1

 1

339

1.16 (0.97–1.38)

1.02 (0.87–1.21)

1.35 (1.05–1.73)

1.03 (0.85–1.24)

1.09 (0.80–1.48)

 2

203

1.13 (0.92–1.39)

1.12 (0.93–1.35)

0.92 (0.67–1.27)

1.06 (0.85–1.31)

0.69 (0.46–1.03)

 3

130

1.16 (0.94–1.44)

1.25 (1.02–1.52)

1.32 (0.96–1.81)

1.23 (0.98–1.55)

0.89 (0.58–1.36)

 4

45

1.35 (0.99–1.82)

1.50 (1.13–2.0)

1.10 (0.67–1.8)

1.27 (0.93–1.73)

0.53 (0.20–1.36)

 5

16

2.29 (1.43–3.66)

1.56 (1.08–2.24)

1.34 (0.71–2.54)

0.97 (0.58–1.64)

0.94 (0.46–1.91)

Age group (years)^c

1115

0.69

0.59

0.42

0.54

0.02

  < 40

267

1

1

1

1

1

 40–55

544

0.96 (0.82–1.13)

0.92 (0.79–1.08)

1.03 (0.78–1.37)

1.09 (0.90–1.32)

1.94 (1.21–3.12)

  > 55

304

1.03 (0.85–1.25)

0.95 (0.79–1.14)

1.19 (0.87–1.63)

1.01 (0.82–1.25)

1.79 (1.08–2.96)

Body Mass Index (points)^c

1092

0.96

0.55

0.26

0.58

0.35

  < 18.5

11

0.83 (0.39–1.78)

0.97 (0.41–2.32)

1.77 (0.70–4.47)

0.76 (0.34–1.68)

1.36 (0.29–6.46)

 18.5–24.9

707

1

1

1

1

1

 25.0–29.9

287

0.99 (0.86–1.15)

1.08 (0.95–1.24)

0.95 (0.75–1.2)

1.03 (0.87–1.22)

0.95 (0.70–1.29)

  > 30

87

1.03 (0.81–1.31)

1.14 (0.91–1.42)

1.26 (0.94–1.71)

1.14 (0.92–1.43)

1.31 (0.92–1.86)

Time for personal relaxation^b

1094

0.02

0.15

0.31

0.62

0.78

  ≥ 3 h /day

281

1

1

1

1

1

 1–2 h/day

577

1.19 (0.99–1.43)

1.12 (0.94–1.33)

1.06 (0.84–1.35)

1.0 (0.84–1.18)

1.24 (0.91–1.70)

  < 1 h/day

236

1.29 (1.03–1.61)

1.18 (0.95–1.46)

1.16 (0.84–1.59)

0.95 (0.76–1.19)

1.02 (0.65–1.60)

Domestic work^b

1102

0.44

0.82

0.03

0.44

0.03

 0–10 h/week

382

1

1

1

1

1

 11–20 h/week

459

0.87 (0.75–1.02)

0.92 (0.79–1.07)

0.78 (0.63–0.96)

0.94 (0.81–1.11)

0.79 (0.59–1.04)

  ≥ 21 h/week

261

0.95 (0.80–1.14)

0.98 (0.83–1.17)

0.74 (0.55–0.99)

0.94 (0.77–1.14)

0.66 (0.46–0.93)

Physical exercise^b

1107

0.94

0.57

0.50

0.55

0.17

 Twice a week or more

807

1

1

1

1

1

 Once a week

153

1.01 (0.85–1.21)

0.98 (0.83–1.17)

0.96 (0.72–1.26)

1.04 (0.85–1.26)

0.81 (0.56–1.18)

 Occasionally or never

147

1.01 (0.82–1.25)

0.95 (0.77–1.16)

0.88 (0.63–1.22)

1.03 (0.84–1.27)

0.79 (0.52–1.21)

Daily smokers

1111

0.02

0.17

0.43

0.34

0.12

 no

1063

1

1

1

1

1

 yes

48

0.59 (0.37–0.92)

0.77 (0.53 (1.12)

0.83 (0.53–1.31)

1.15 (0.86–1.53)

0.63 (0.36–1.13)

Occupational category ^c

1115

0.02

< 0.001

0.39

0.01

0.02

 Teacher

246

1

1

1

1

1

 Anaesthetic nurse

214

0.86 (0.66–1.11)

1.03 (0.81–1.32)

0.89 (0.59–1.35)

0.8 (0.60–1.07)

0.65 (0.40–1.06)

 Surgical nurse

209

1.08 (0.83–1.41)

1.08 (0.84–1.39)

1.03 (0.7–1.53)

1.20 (0.93–1.56)

0.68 (0.42–1.09)

 Assistant nurse

224

0.99 (0.76–1.29)

1.07 (0.84–1.36)

1.19 (0.83–1.70)

1.08 (0.85–1.38)

0.72 (0.48–1.08)

 Sonographer

222

1.21 (0.97–1.5)

1.44 (1.18–1.78)

1.18 (0.84–1.67)

1.22 (0.95–1.57)

0.40 (0.23–0.69)