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Occup Environ Med 59:459-465 doi:10.1136/oem.59.7.459
  • Original article

Comparison of two different approaches for the analysis of data from a prospective cohort study: an application to work related risk factors for low back pain

Table 5

Results concerning the relation between psychosocial work characteristics and the occurrence of low back pain from multivariable analyses with a traditional approach using standard regression and generalised estimating equations (GEE)*

Crude OR (95% CI)† Adjusted OR (95% CI)‡
Risk factor Standard regression model (n=786) GEE model 1 (n=976) GEE model 2 (n=976) Standard regression model (n=786) GEE model 1 (n=976) GEE model 2 (n=976)
*The different models that were analysed are illustrated in fig 1.
†Crude OR, odds ratio in the population with no missing values for gender, age, smoking habits, body mass index, exercise behaviour during leisure time, coping skills (active problem solving, avoidance behaviour, social support seeking), moving heavy loads during leisure time, flexion and/or rotation of the upper part of the body during leisure time, driving a vehicle during leisure time, moving heavy loads at work, flexion and/or rotation of the upper part of the body at work, driving a vehicle at work, and the other psychosocial work characteristics mentioned in the table. ‡Adjusted OR, odds ratio adjusted for the risk factors mentioned above.
Quantitative job demands
    Low (score 6–11) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
    Medium (score 12–16) 1.43 (0.99 to 2.07) 0.95 (0.68 to 1.31) 1.11 (0.86 to 1.45) 1.33 (0.90 to 1.97) 0.84 (0.61 to 1.18) 1.00 (0.76 to 1.32)
    High (score 17–20) 1.87 (0.93 to 3.76) 1.61 (0.89 to 2.93) 1.41 (0.87 to 2.29) 1.46 (0.68 to 3.13) 1.22 (0.63 to 2.34) 1.10 (0.67 to 1.80)
Conflicting demands
    (Strongly) disagree 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
    Agree 1.08 (0.75 to 1.57) 1.21 (0.88 to 1.66) 1.22 (0.94 to 1.57) 1.00 (0.67 to 1.49) 1.15 (0.82 to 1.61) 1.17 (0.90 to 1.53)
    Strongly agree 1.53 (0.84 to 2.79) 1.23 (0.72 to 2.08) 1.11 (0.64 to 1.92) 1.61 (0.84 to 3.07) 1.25 (0.74 to 2.12) 0.99 (0.56 to 1.73)
Supervisor support
    High (score 13–16) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
    Medium (score 11,12) 1.42 (0.84 to 2.40) 1.16 (0.73 to 1.84) 1.02 (0.69 to 1.50) 1.39 (0.76 to 2.53) 1.13 (0.66 to 1.92) 0.94 (0.63 to 1.40)
    Low (score 4–10) 1.69 (0.97 to 2.94) 1.40 (0.87 to 2.26) 1.51 (1.00 to 2.27) 1.48 (0.78 to 2.80) 1.22 (0.70 to 2.12) 1.29 (0.83 to 2.01)
Coworker support
    High (score 13–16) 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
    Medium (score 11,12) 1.36 (0.91 to 2.05) 1.33 (0.92 to 1.93) 1.12 (0.81 to 1.56) 1.53 (0.95 to 2.46) 1.50 (0.98 to 2.31) 1.16 (0.82 to 1.64)
    Low (score 4–10) 1.68 (0.91 to 3.10) 1.42 (0.82 to 2.44) 1.31 (0.81 to 2.11) 1.78 (0.88 to 3.60) 1.46 (0.81 to 2.64) 1.19 (0.72 to 1.97)

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