Univariate association between confounding variables and risk of frequent MSP among workers with baseline occasional MSP (crude ORs with 95% CIs)
| Men n=2573 | Women n=3142 | |
| OR (95% CI) | OR (95% CI) | |
| Completed education | ||
| Primary (1–9 years) | 1.36 (0.93 to 1.98) | 1.01 (0.69 to 1.46) |
| Secondary (12 years) | 1.26 (0.99 to 1.61) | 1.23 (1.02 to 1.49) |
| Tertiary (12+ years) | 1 | 1 |
| Long-term health condition | ||
| No | 1 | 1 |
| Yes | 1.37 (1.05 to 1.79) | 1.50 (1.20 to 1.87) |
| Psychological distress (GHQ) | ||
| No | 1 | 1 |
| Yes | 1.42 (1.05 to 1.93) | 1.40 (1.12 to 1.74) |
| Do you smoke? | ||
| No | 1 | 1 |
| Yes | 1.46 (1.04 to 2.05) | 1.33 (1.03 to 1.71) |
| Leisure-time physical activity | ||
| Sedentary | 1 | 1 |
| Moderate | 0.89 (0.62 to 1.28) | 0.86 (0.63 to 1.19) |
| Regular | 0.91 (0.60 to 1.38) | 0.90 (0.62 to 1.31) |
| BMI | ||
| Underweight/normal | 1 | 1 |
| Overweight | 1.22 (0.95 to 1.57) | 1.13 (0.93 to 1.39) |
| Obese | 1.0 (0.74 to 1.69) | 1.10 (0.78 to 1.55) |
| Decision authority | ||
| High | 1 | 1 |
| Low | 1.12 (0.89 to 1.40) | 1.29 (1.07 to 1.25) |
All analyses are adjusted for age.
BMI, body mass index; GHQ, General Health Questionnaire.MSP, musculoskeletal pain.