Table 1

Adjusted RRs* (95% CI) for seeking care because of neck or shoulder pain associated with different factors when comparing long term† and short term‡ exposure, respectively, with long term unexposed subjects, by sex

	Women: 210 cases, 698 controls										Men: 100 cases, 579 controls
	Unexposed		Exposed†				Exposed‡				Unexposed		Exposed†				Exposed‡
Work related factors	Cases	Controls	Cases	Controls	RR*†	95% CI	Cases	Controls	RR*‡	95% CI	Cases	Controls	Cases	Controls	RR*†	95% CI	Cases	Controls	RR*‡	95% CI
Adjusted for age (5 year age groups), earlier neck or shoulder disorders, irregular working hours, and socioeconomic group; †defined as current exposure and exposure 5 years ago to physical factors, and exposure during a 5 year period to psychosocial factors; ‡defined as current exposure but no exposure to the physical factors 5 years ago, and as an increase in level of exposure to the psychosocial factors within the past 5 year period, the number of subjects does not add up to the total, as some subjects had been exposed 5 years ago but were not currently exposed; §(Borg²³ 1970); reports of exposure >1 day/week, alternatives, hardly ever/never, 1–3 days/month, 1 day/week, 2–4 days/week, every working day; *no analysis made, as <five cases or controls were exposed to the factor.
High perceived workload ≥14 on the RPE scale§	112	465	44	106	1.6	1.0 to 2.6	28	47	2.6	1.4 to 4.9	54	372	19	122	0.7	0.4 to 1.3	8	33	1.1	0.4 to 2.7
Sitting >75% of the working day	162	541	24	80	1.0	0.6 to 1.8	15	24	2.6	1.2 to 5.3	72	448	12	85	0.7	0.3 to 1.4	11	26	3.4	1.5 to 7.6
VDT work >50% of the working day	177	609	8	35	1.0	0.4 to 2.2	16	31	2.1	1.0 to 4.1	94	528	2	21	**		2	19	**
Work with vibrating tools >5% of the day	190	643	7	31	0.8	0.3 to 1.9	4	13	**		41	296	50	226	1.6	0.9 to 2.7	6	21	1.9	0.6 to 5.5
Work with hands above shoulder >1/2 h/day¶	148	555	39	109	1.3	0.8 to 2.0	11	11	3.4	1.3 to 8.8	69	428	22	105	0.9	0.5 to 1.5	2	19	**
Work requiring frequent bending and twisting¶	96	385	91	245	1.3	0.9 to 1.8	9	23	1.4	0.5 to 3.4	46	318	46	217	1.2	0.7 to 1.9	5	14	2.1	0.6 to 6.9
Frequent hand or finger movements at work¶	91	401	95	238	1.8	1.2 to 2.6	12	23	2.6	1.0 to 6.0	52	340	39	198	1.2	0.7 to 1.9	5	24	1.4	0.4 to 3.7
Lifting and carrying 1–15 kg¶	92	342	89	287	1.2	0.8 to 1.8	15	23	2.6	1.1 to 5.8	31	203	58	315	0.9	0.5 to 1.6	4	21	**
Lifting and carrying >15 kg¶	152	525	38	119	1.0	0.6 to 1.5	6	22	1.0	0.3 to 2.5	41	309	44	210	1.4	0.8 to 2.4	3	17	**
No participation in work planning	128	416	56	117	0.9	0.6 to 1.4	6	27	0.6	0.2 to 1.5	59	371	25	122	1.2	0.7 to 2.2	5	11	2.9	0.8 to 9.4
No opportunities to get or use new knowledge	175	566	9	36	0.7	0.3 to 1.6	6	6	3.7	1.1 to 12.8	81	470	5	25	1.3	0.4 to 3.4	2	8	**
No support from colleagues or superiors	154	548	13	38	1.2	0.6 to 2.4	3	10	**		78	432	2	26	**		4	5	**
Hindrance at work**	113	422	52	114	1.5	1.0 to 2.2	4	14	**		64	373	23	104	1.2	0.7 to 2.1	4	13	**
75% Of the spare time used for housework	156	534	32	90	1.1	0.6 to 1.7	13	36	1.6	0.8 to 3.2	95	533	4	27	**		0	17	**