Characteristic | Subjects with arm pain* | Believe pain caused by work | Believe pain caused or made worse by work | ||
n | n (%) | RR (95% CI)† | n (%) | RR (95% CI)† | |
Age (years) | |||||
⩽34 | 114 | 32 (28) | 1 | 61 (54) | 1 |
35–39 | 84 | 20 (24) | 0.9 (0.5 to 1.5) | 49 (58) | 1.1 (0.8 to 1.6) |
40–44 | 123 | 28 (23) | 0.8 (0.5 to 1.4) | 65 (53) | 1.0 (0.7 to 1.4) |
45–49 | 140 | 28 (20) | 0.7 (0.4 to 1.2) | 69 (49) | 1.0 (0.7 to 1.4) |
50–54 | 149 | 35 (23) | 0.9 (0.5 to 1.4) | 79 (53) | 1.0 (0.7 to 1.5) |
55–59 | 155 | 46 (30) | 1.1 (0.7 to 1.7) | 93 (60) | 1.2 (0.8 to 1.6) |
⩾60 | 52 | 11 (21) | 0.8 (0.4 to 1.5) | 24 (46) | 0.9 (0.5 to 1.4) |
Sex | |||||
Male | 367 | 100 (27) | 1 | 196 (53) | 1 |
Female | 450 | 100 (22) | 0.8 (0.6 to 1.1) | 244 (54) | 1.0 (0.8 to 1.2) |
Social class | |||||
Non-manual | 584 | 127 (22) | 1 | 297 (51) | 1 |
Manual | 233 | 73 (31) | 1.4 (1.0 to 1.9) | 143 (61) | 1.2 (0.9 to 1.4) |
Self-rated health | |||||
Excellent | 82 | 21 (26) | 1 | 44 (54) | 1 |
Very good/good | 634 | 159 (25) | 0.9 (0.6 to 1.5) | 340 (54) | 1.0 (0.7 to 1.3) |
Fair/poor | 101 | 20 (20) | 0.7 (0.4 to 1.3) | 56 (55) | 1.0 (0.6 to 1.4) |
Combined mental health score | |||||
Best | 87 | 17 (20) | 1 | 36 (42) | 1 |
Intermediate | 511 | 121 (24) | 1.2 (0.7 to 2.0) | 267 (52) | 1.2 (0.9 to 1.8) |
Worst | 219 | 62 (28) | 1.4 (0.8 to 2.4) | 137 (62) | 1.4 (1.0 to 2.1) |
Frequent pain | |||||
No | 631 | 152 (24) | 1 | 325 (52) | 1 |
Yes | 186 | 48 (26) | 1.1 (0.8 to 1.5) | 115 (62) | 1.2 (1.0 to 1.5) |
Physical activities in an average working day | |||||
Tasks involving repeated movements of wrist or fingers | 427 | 140 (33) | 2.1 (1.6 to 2.9) | 274 (64) | 1.5 (1.2 to 1.8) |
Repeated bending and straightening of elbow for >1 h in total | 358 | 124 (35) | 2.1 (1.6 to 2.8) | 238 (66) | 1.5 (1.2 to 1.8) |
Work with hands above shoulder height for >1 h in total | 78 | 34 (44) | 1.9 (1.3 to 2.8) | 59 (76) | 1.4 (1.1 to 1.9) |
Lifting or carrying weights of 5 kg in one hand | 275 | 85 (31) | 1.4 (1.1 to 1.9) | 162 (59) | 1.1 (0.9 to 1.4) |
Any of above four arm-straining activities | 579 | 170 (29) | 2.3 (1.6 to 3.4) | 350 (60) | 1.6 (1.2 to 2.0) |
*Analysis was restricted to the 817 subjects who reported arm pain in the past year.
†Relative risks are for those who reported an activity relative to those who did not. Relative risks were derived separately for each characteristic with adjustment for general practice (in five bands).