Table 6

Association of low back pain and neck, shoulder, or arm pain with self estimated risk factors for fatigue in the workplace (n=314)

Factors		Independent variables (self estimated risk factors for fatigue)		Responses		Low back pain RR (95% CI)	Neck, shoulder, or arm pain RR (95% CI)
Factors				Yes	No	Low back pain RR (95% CI)	Neck, shoulder, or arm pain RR (95% CI)
Work postures	Frequent bending forward or half sitting	238	66	1.29 (0.97 to 1.70)	1.08 (0.82 to 1.43)
	Much static work posture	220	81	1.20 (0.93 to 1.55)	1.08 (0.83 to 1.40)
	Frequent lifting and handling of objects	248	58	1.16 (0.87 to 1.55)	1.00 (0.74 to 1.34)
	Frequent repetitive work using shoulders, arms, hands or fingers	146	159	1.08 (0.86 to 1.36)	1.09 (0.86 to 1.37)
Work control	Much unplanned work	243	64	1.17 (0.88 to 1.55)	1.04 (0.78 to 1.38)
	Difficulties in lowering work load at reduced working capacity	233	73	1.14 (0.87 to 1.50)	1.02 (0.78 to 1.34)
	Too many different tasks	217	88	1.11 (0.86 to 1.43)	0.99 (0.77 to 1.28)
	Too much responsibility	253	54	1.11 (0.82 to 1.50)	0.91 (0.67 to 1.23)
	Too much work	225	80	1.11 (0.85 to 1.44)	0.95 (0.73 to 1.24)
	Shortage of staff	245	61	1.06 (0.79 to 1.41)	1.07 (0.80 to 1.43)
	Great time pressure	252	54	1.05 (0.78 to 1.42)	0.93 (0.69 to 1.25)
	Much concentration required	277	32	0.92 (0.63 to 1.34)	0.87 (0.60 to 1.28)
Work organisation	Extra work due to poor physical condition of colleagues	136	168	1.14 (0.90 to 1.44)	1.12 (0.89 to 1.42)
	Work after sick leave, maternity leave, and childcare leave	133	117	1.04 (0.80 to 1.35)	0.98 (0.76 to 1.27)
	Difficulties in acting on one's own ideas	164	140	1.03 (0.82 to 1.30)	1.05 (0.83 to 1.32)
	Difficult human relations at work	171	132	1.01 (0.80 to 1.27)	0.99 (0.78 to 1.25)
	Lack of frank discussion about work problems	166	136	1.02 (0.81 to 1.29)	1.00 (0.79 to 1.26)
	Responsibilities other than tasks at work	157	128	1.00 (0.79 to 1.27)	1.05 (0.83 to 1.33)
	Role ambiguity in the workplace	143	162	0.97 (0.77 to 1.22)	1.02 (0.80 to 1.28)
	Inexperienced in handling tasks	195	112	0.89 (0.69 to 1.15)	0.94 (0.73 to 1.21)
	Many admissions and discharges	164	138	0.89 (0.70 to 1.12)	1.02 (0.81 to 1.28)
Patient conditions	Many patients with serious disabilities	205	95	1.11 (0.87 to 1.42)	0.98 (0.76 to 1.25)
	Many patients with a sudden change in condition	181	111	1.09 (0.85 to 1.38)	0.99 (0.77 to 1.25)
	Many admissions with emergencies	159	129	1.02 (0.81 to 1.30)	1.02 (0.80 to 1.29)

RRs (95% CIs) were calculated by the Cox's model by controlling for workplace, duration of employment in present ward, age, height, BMI, and marital state.