Characteristics of the sick leave trajectories and results of univariate multinomial regression analysis
| Characteristics | Univariable multinomial regression analysis* OR (95% CI) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sick leave class of: variables | ‘Low risk’ n=366 | ‘Intermediate risk’ n=122 | ‘High risk’ n=45 | ‘Intermediate risk’ n=122 | ‘High risk’ n=45 |
| Individual characteristics | |||||
| Age (years) (18–64), median (range) | 44 (18–64) | 40 (19–58) | 44 (18–59) | ||
| Aged over 43 years | 0.50 (0.33 to 0.76) | 1.01 (0.55 to 1.89) | |||
| Male, n (%) | 177 (48,4) | 55 (45.1) | 21 (46.7) | 1.22 (0.81 to 1.84) | 1.07 (0.58 to 1.99) |
| Educational level* n (%)a, | |||||
| Low | 102 (27.7) | 49 (40.2) | 14 (31.1) | 2.22 (1.30 to 3.78) | 1.27 (0.58 to 2.78) |
| Medium | 135 (37.1) | 45 (36.9) | 17 (37.8) | 1.52 (0.90 to 2.59) | 1.15 (0.55 to 2.43) |
| High | 128 (35.2) | 28 (23.0) | 14 (31.1) | ref | ref |
| Complaint characteristics | |||||
| Duration of the complaint, n (%)a: | |||||
| 0–6 weeks | 187 (51.4) | 70 (57.4) | 17 (37.8) | ref | ref |
| 6 weeks–3 months | 87 (23.9) | 27 (22.1) | 11 (24.4) | 0.83 (0.50 to 1.38) | 1.39 (0.63 to 3.10) |
| >3 months | 91 (24.7) | 25 (20,5) | 17 (37.8) | 0.74 (0.44 to 1.25) | 2.08 (1.01 to 4.26) |
| Trauma arm, neck or shoulder in the past, n (%) | 62 (17.0) | 19 (15.6) | 14 (31.1) | 0.90 (0.52 to 1.58) | 2.21 (1.11 to 4.39) |
| Comorbidity musculoskeletal, n (%)a | 150 (41.1) | 64 (52.5) | 32 (71.1) | 1.58 (1.05 to 2.39) | 3.53 (1.79 to 6.95) |
| Comorbidity non-musculoskeletal, n (%)a, | 63 (17.3) | 21 (17.2) | 13 (28.9) | 1.00 (0.58 to 1.72) | 1.95 (0.97 to 3.92) |
| Recurrent complaint, n (%) | 84 (23.0) | 35 (28.7) | 25 (55.6) | 1.35 (0.85 to 2.14) | 4.18 (2.21 to 7.90) |
| Region with most complaints, n (%) | |||||
| Neck or upper back or shoulder or upper arm | 226 (61.6) | 82 (67.2) | 30 (66.7) | ref | ref |
| Elbow, forearm, wrist or hand | 95 (26) | 22 (18) | 5 (11.1) | 0.64 (0.38 to 1.08) | 0.40 (0.15 to 1.05) |
| Both regions | 45 (12.4) | 18 (14.8) | 10 (22.2) | 1.10 (0.60 to 2.01) | 1.67 (0.76 to 3.67) |
| Specific diagnosis vs non-specific diagnosis, n (%) | 231 (63,5) | 58 (47.5) | 21 (46.7) | 0.52 (0.35 to 0.79) | 0.51 (0.27 to 0.94) |
| Poor general health†, SF-12, 1st question, n (%)a | 20 (5,5) | 20 (16.4) | 10 (22.2) | 3.38 (1.75 to 6.53) | 4.93 (2.14 to 11.36) |
| Complaint severity last week (0–10), mean (SD)a | 5.45 (2.0) | 6.4 (1.9) | 6.2 (2.1) | 1.29 (1.16 to 1.45) | 1.22 (1.04 to 1.44) |
| Functional limitations, DASH (0–100), mean (SD) | 32.0 (17.1) | 43.7 (18.6) | 44.7 (18.6) | 1.04 (1.02 to 1.05) | 1.04 (1.02 to 1.06) |
| Lifestyle characteristics | |||||
| Body mass index (kg/m2), n (%)b | |||||
| <25 | 177 (48,6) | 61 (50,0) | 26 (57.8) | ref | ref |
| 25–30 (overweight) | 147 (40,4) | 49 (40,2) | 14 (31.1) | 0.97 (0.63 to 1.49) | 0.65 (0.33 to 1.29) |
| >30 (obese) | 40 (11,0) | 12 (9,8) | 5 (11.1) | 0.87 (0.43 to 1.77) | 0.85 (0.31 to 2.35) |
| Sports participation, n (%) | 186 (51.0) | 47 (38,5) | 18 (40.0) | 0.60 (0.40 to 0.92) | 0.64 (0.34 to 1.21) |
| Psychosocial characteristics | |||||
| Somatisation, 4DSQ‡ (0–48), n (%)a | |||||
| Low (0–10) | 295 (80.8) | 82 (67.2) | 24 (53.3) | ref | Ref |
| Middle (11–20) | 65 (17.8) | 35 (28.7) | 14 (31.1) | 1.94 (1.20 to 3.13) | 2.65 (1.30 to 5.39) |
| High (21–32) | 5 (1.4) | 5 (4.1) | 7 (15.6) | 3.60 (1.02 to 12.73) | 17.21 (5.08 to 58.34) |
| Distress, 4 DSQ‡ (0–48), n (%)a | |||||
| Low (0–10) | 251 (68.8) | 63 (51.6) | 17 (37.8) | ref | Ref |
| Middle (11–20) | 88 (24.1) | 38 (31.1) | 14 (31.1) | 1.72 (1.08 to 2.75) | 2.35 (1.11 to 4.96) |
| High (21–32) | 25 (6.8) | 21 (17.2) | 14 (31.1) | 3.35 (1.76 to 6.36) | 8.23 (3.65 to 18.74) |
| Social support, SOS§ (12–60), median (range) a | 58 (27–60) | 57 (28–60) | 55 (29–60) | ||
| Low, score<57 | 1.15 (0.77 to 1.74) | 2.16 (1.14 to 4.12) | |||
| Catastrophising, CPV (0–60)¶, median (range)b | 9 (0–53) | 9 (0–48) | 9 (0–36) | ||
| High, score>9 | 1.63 (1.08 to 2.47) | 2.87 (1.48 to 5.58) | |||
| Kinesiophobia, TAMPA-AV (13–52)**, median (range)b | 24 (13–39) | 26 (15–46) | 27 (13–42) | ||
| High, score >24 | 1.85 (1.22 to 2.80) | 2.33 (1.22 to 4.43) | |||
| Low health locus of control††, n (%) | 141 (38.6) | 51 (41.8) | 22 (48.9) | 1.14 (0.75 to 1.73) | 1.52 (0.82 to 2.83) |
| Physical work characteristics | |||||
| Full-time work, n (%)b | 212 (58.1) | 72 (59.0) | 26 (57.8) | 0.98 (0.64 to 1.48) | 1.03 (0.55 to 1.92) |
| Less than 5 years working in current job, n (%) | 101 (27.7) | 39 (32.0) | 16 (35.6) | 1.23 (0.79 to 1.92) | 1.44 (0.75 to 2.77) |
| Work-related complaints, n (%)c | 223 (61.1) | 108 (88.5) | 41 (91.1) | 5.65 (3.00 to 10.64) | 6.44 (2.26 to 18.36) |
| Physical workload, PWQ‡‡ | |||||
| Heavy physical load (0–100), median (range)a, score >19.0 | 16.7 (0–89) | 31.9 (0–89) | 30.6 (0–75) | 2.39 (1.55 to 3.69) | 1.62 (0.86 to 3.04) |
| Static repetitive load (0–100), median (range)d High static repetitive load, score >41.7 | 33.3 (0–100) | 50 (0–100) | 50 (0–100) | 1.79 (1.17 to 2.74) | 2.24 (1.15 to 4.35) |
| Psychosocial work characteristics, JCQ§§ | |||||
| Quantitative job demands (12–48), median (range)a high demands, score >30 | 30.0 (12–46) | 32 (12–46) | 30 (20–48) | 1.70 (1.12 to 2.57) | 0.84 (0.45 to 1.58) |
| Decision authority (12–48), median (range)b | 36 (12–48) | 36 (12–48) | 36 (16–48) | ||
| Low decision authority, score<36 | 1.70 (1.11 to 2.60) | 1.23 (0.63 to 2.38) | |||
| Skill discretion (0–48), median (range)a | 15 (5–20) | 15 (5–20) | 15 (8–20) | ||
| Low skill discretion, score <15 | 1.34 (0.88 to 2.03) | 0.81 (0.42 to 1.58) | |||
| Supervisor support (4–16), median (range)e | 12 (4–16) | 11 (4–16) | 11 (4–15) | ||
| Low supervisor support, score <12 | 1.30 (0.86 to 1.98) | 1.61 (0.85 to 3.05) | |||
| Coworker support (4–16), median (range)f | 12 (4–16) | 12.0 (8–16) | 12 (4–16) | ||
| Low coworker support, score <12 | 1.72 (1.07 to 2.77) | 2.93 (1.52 to 5.65) | |||
| Job insecurity, yes n (%)d | 43 (11.9) | 17 (14.0) | 6 (13.3) | 1.21 (0.66 to 2.21) | 1.14 (0.46 to 2.85) |
Significant univariable odds ratios are given in bold. *The low risk group is the reference group for the multinomial regression analysis. Cut-off points are defined by median score of the total population. Number of missings: a1 missing; b2 missings, c4 missings, d5 missings, e25 missings, f22 missings. DASH=disability of arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire (0 (no disability) to 100 (completely disabled)).30
†Perceived health=1st question of the SF-12 recoded into ‘good’ (‘excellent’, ‘very good’, ‘good’) and ‘poor’ (‘fair’ or ‘poor’).31
‡4DSQ=Four Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (0–32).32
§SOS=Social Support Scale, a Dutch version of the ‘Social Support Questionnaire’ (SSQ) (12–60).33
¶CSQ=Catastrophising: subscale of the Dutch adaptation of the Coping Strategy Questionnaire (0–60).34
**TSK-AV=Tampa scale of kinesiophobia, short version without the 4 reversed items (13–52).35
††Health locus of control=assessed by one question ‘Do you believe you can influence your health through your behaviour?’ scored on a 4-point Likert scale. The scores ‘considerable’ or ‘to a large extent’ were considered as ‘high health locus of control’.
‡‡PWQ=physical load at work questionnaire ((0 no workload) to 100 (highest workload)).36
§§JCQ=Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), Dutch translation.37 Educational level: low=no education/primary school or lower vocational school; medium=lower or higher general secondary school level or middle vocational school); high=higher vocational school or university.