Rate ratios (RR) of absences of 3 days or longer due to low back pain according to psychosocial work characteristics
| Risk factor | Absences (n) | Workers* (n) | Crude RR (95% CI†)‡ (n=635) | Adjusted RR (95% CI)§ (n=635) | Workers employed ≤5 years in the current job at baseline adjusted RR (95% CI)§ (n=265) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *For between 720 and 726 of the 732 workers with data on the reasons for all absences of 3 days or longer, data were available on the various psychosocial work characteristics presented in this table; †95% CI, 95% confidence interval; ‡crude rate ratio from Poisson regression in the population with no missing values for sex, age, smoking, body mass index, exercise behaviour during leisure time, coping skills (active problem solving, avoidance behaviour, social support seeking), moving of heavy loads during leisure time, flexion or rotation of the upper part of the body during leisure time, driving a vehicle during leisure time, trunk flexion, lifting, driving a vehicle at work, job security and the other psychosocial work characteristics mentioned in the table; §rate ratio from Poisson regression, adjusted for the risk factors mentioned. | |||||
| Quantitative job demands: | |||||
| Low (score 6–11) | 59 | 200 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Medium (score 12–16) | 137 | 472 | 0.95 (0.68 to 1.33) | 1.02 (0.71 to 1.48) | 1.06 (0.57 to 2.06) |
| High (score 17–20) | 15 | 51 | 0.92 (0.42 to 1.77) | 0.68 (0.30 to 1.40) | 1.62 (0.36 to 6.03) |
| Conflicting demands: | |||||
| Disagree | 133 | 472 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Agree | 54 | 199 | 1.02 (0.72 to 1.43) | 0.76 (0.52 to 1.10) | 0.53 (0.26 to 1.06) |
| Strongly agree | 17 | 49 | 1.28 (0.67 to 2.22) | 1.20 (0.61 to 2.19) | 0.43 (0.10 to 1.52) |
| Decision authority: | |||||
| High (score 10–12) | 35 | 159 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Medium (score 7–9) | 155 | 467 | 1.58 (1.05 to 2.49) | 1.17 (0.70 to 2.02) | 4.29 (1.39 to 16.5) |
| Low (score 3–6) | 24 | 98 | 1.27 (0.70 to 2.28) | 0.69 (0.34 to 1.40) | 1.58 (0.36 to 7.58) |
| Skill discretion: | |||||
| High (score 17–20) | 41 | 165 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Medium (score 12–16) | 129 | 473 | 1.12 (0.76 to 1.68) | 0.85 (0.52 to 1.42) | 0.61 (0.25 to 1.59) |
| Low (score 5–11) | 44 | 87 | 2.08 (1.29 to 3.37) | 1.10 (0.58 to 2.10) | 0.65 (0.19 to 2.24) |
| Supervisor support: | |||||
| High (score 13–16) | 20 | 90 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Medium (score 11, 12) | 111 | 427 | 0.95 (0.58 to 1.63) | 1.06 (0.60 to 1.97) | 1.81 (0.66 to 5.73) |
| Low (score 4–10) | 82 | 207 | 1.61 (0.98 to 2.79) | 1.43 (0.77 to 2.74) | 3.59 (1.20 to 12.3) |
| Coworker support: | |||||
| High (score 13–16) | 34 | 144 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Medium (score 11, 12) | 141 | 498 | 0.96 (0.65 to 1.47) | 0.97 (0.62 to 1.56) | 0.65 (0.30 to 1.46) |
| Low (score 4–10) | 38 | 81 | 2.02 (1.23 to 3.32) | 1.46 (0.82 to 2.61) | 1.12 (0.37 to 3.31) |
| Job satisfaction: | |||||
| Good | 104 | 430 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Reasonable | 85 | 251 | 1.21 (0.86 to 1.67) | 1.06 (0.74 to 1.53) | 0.75 (0.39 to 1.42) |
| Not good/moderate | 24 | 45 | 2.39 (1.43 to 3.79) | 1.95 (1.08 to 3.39) | 2.04 (0.72 to 5.49) |