Predictors of incident and persistent neck/shoulder pain in Iranian workers: a cohort study
Predictors of incident and persistent neck/shoulder pain in Iranian workers: a cohort study
Pain in the neck and shoulder has been linked with various psychosocial risk factors, as well as with occupational physical activities. However, most studies to date have been cross-sectional, making it difficult to exclude reverse causation. Moreover, they have been carried out largely in northern Europe, and the relationship to psychosocial factors might be different in other cultural environments. To explore causes of neck/shoulder pain, we carried out a longitudinal study in Iranian nurses and office workers. Participants (n = 383) completed a baseline questionnaire about neck/shoulder pain in the past month and possible risk factors, and were again asked about pain 12 months later. Associations with pain at follow-up were explored by Poisson regression and summarised by prevalence rate ratios (PRRs). After adjustment for other risk factors, new pain at follow-up was more frequent in office workers than nurses (PRR 1.9, 95%CI 1.3–2.8), among those with worst mental health (PRR 1.8, 95%CI 1.0–3.0), in those who reported incentives from piecework or bonuses (PRR1.4, 95%CI 1.0–2.0), and in those reporting job dissatisfaction (PRR 1.5, 95%CI 1.0–2.1). The strongest predictor of pain persistence was somatising tendency. Our findings are consistent with a hazard of neck/shoulder pain from prolonged use of computer keyboards, although it is possible that the association is modified by health beliefs and expectations. They also indicate that the association of low mood with neck/shoulder pain extends to non-European populations, and is not entirely attributable to reverse causation. Psychosocial aspects of work appeared to have relatively weak impact.
neck pain, shoulder pain, occupation, psychosocial, computers, nurses
e57544
Sadeghian, F.
1c715e38-aeb4-4a80-9cfc-64814f54666e
Raei, M.
8600a81f-7913-46ac-a7fd-45bc1a286d3b
Ntani, G.
9b009e0a-5ab2-4c6e-a9fd-15a601e92be5
Coggon, D.
2b43ce0a-cc61-4d86-b15d-794208ffa5d3
28 February 2013
Sadeghian, F.
1c715e38-aeb4-4a80-9cfc-64814f54666e
Raei, M.
8600a81f-7913-46ac-a7fd-45bc1a286d3b
Ntani, G.
9b009e0a-5ab2-4c6e-a9fd-15a601e92be5
Coggon, D.
2b43ce0a-cc61-4d86-b15d-794208ffa5d3
Abstract
Pain in the neck and shoulder has been linked with various psychosocial risk factors, as well as with occupational physical activities. However, most studies to date have been cross-sectional, making it difficult to exclude reverse causation. Moreover, they have been carried out largely in northern Europe, and the relationship to psychosocial factors might be different in other cultural environments. To explore causes of neck/shoulder pain, we carried out a longitudinal study in Iranian nurses and office workers. Participants (n = 383) completed a baseline questionnaire about neck/shoulder pain in the past month and possible risk factors, and were again asked about pain 12 months later. Associations with pain at follow-up were explored by Poisson regression and summarised by prevalence rate ratios (PRRs). After adjustment for other risk factors, new pain at follow-up was more frequent in office workers than nurses (PRR 1.9, 95%CI 1.3–2.8), among those with worst mental health (PRR 1.8, 95%CI 1.0–3.0), in those who reported incentives from piecework or bonuses (PRR1.4, 95%CI 1.0–2.0), and in those reporting job dissatisfaction (PRR 1.5, 95%CI 1.0–2.1). The strongest predictor of pain persistence was somatising tendency. Our findings are consistent with a hazard of neck/shoulder pain from prolonged use of computer keyboards, although it is possible that the association is modified by health beliefs and expectations. They also indicate that the association of low mood with neck/shoulder pain extends to non-European populations, and is not entirely attributable to reverse causation. Psychosocial aspects of work appeared to have relatively weak impact.
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CUPID Iran Revised paper 29.01.13-1.docx
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Accepted/In Press date: 17 October 2012
Published date: 28 February 2013
Keywords:
neck pain, shoulder pain, occupation, psychosocial, computers, nurses
Organisations:
Faculty of Medicine
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Local EPrints ID: 354117
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/354117
ISSN: 1932-6203
PURE UUID: 4cb6670f-6eac-4a6c-a74c-9982c0965d2a
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Date deposited: 01 Jul 2013 13:29
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 02:52
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Author:
F. Sadeghian
Author:
M. Raei
Author:
D. Coggon
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