Cross-sectional study of risk factors for symptoms in the neck and shoulder area

Abstract

This study was performed in order to evaluate how individual characteristics, as well as ergonomic, organizational and psychosocial factors in the work situation are associated with early symptoms in the neck and shoulder area. Nine hundred randomly drawn subjects of the working population in a semi-rural community in Sweden were mailed a questionnaire comprising the Nordic questionnaire on musculoskeletal symptoms, questions on ergonomic, organizational and psychosocial work conditions, life style factors, and background factors. The total response rate was 73% (n = 637). Questions on ergonomic work conditions and on organizational and psychosocial work conditions provided the measures of exposure. Prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated for symptoms in the neck and shoulder area as reported by 303 subjects. Significant determinants for early symptoms were being a female and being an immigrant, as were repetitive movements demanding precision. High work pace, low work content and work role ambiguity were significant organizational risk factors while life style characteristics did not appear as risk factors. The results suggest that symptoms are signals not only of ergonomic deficiencies in the work situation, but in particular of work organizational conditions. Special attention should be given to the work conditions of women and immigrants in preventive interventions.

Gender differences in upper extremity musculoskeletal complaints in the working population

“…The results on gender dierences in prevalences of upper extremity complaints as reported by this study are consistent with those found by others, reporting elevated risks for women within occupations (Bergqvist et al 1995, Chiang et al 1993, Nordander et al 1999, Skov et al 1996, Zetterberg and O È fverholm 1999 as well as among the general working population (De Zwart et al 1997a, Ekberg et al 1995, Feuerstein et al 1998, Franklin et al 1991, Linton 1990, Tanaka et al 1995. These gender dierences among employees have also been observed for other types of musculoskeletal symptoms such as back complaints (Dempsey et al 1997), although less marked than for upper extremity complaints (Punnett and Herbert 1999).…”

“…among car assembly workers (Zetterberg and O È fverholm 1999), newspaper employees , salespeople (Skov et al 1996), ®sh industry workers (Chiang et al 1993;Nordander et al 1999), and oce workers (Bergqvist et al 1995). In large-scale studies of the general working population in dierent countries, the higher risk for women of the onset of these types of complaint have also been consistently observed (De Zwart et al 1997a;Ekberg et al 1995;Feuerstein et al 1998;Franklin et al 1991;Linton 1990;Tanaka et al 1995). The explanations for these gender dierences, however, are still poorly understood.…”

Are psychosocial factors, risk factors for symptoms and signs of the shoulder, elbow, or hand/wrist?: A review of the epidemiological literature

“…The other sixwereexcluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria of this review. More specifically, this was because the study dealt with low back pain [Bigos et al, 1991], not specified musculoskeletal disorders [Leino and Hänninen, 1995], combined neck/shoulder disorders [Holmström et al, 1992;Ekberg et al, 1994Ekberg et al, , 1995Ohlssonetal.,1994]ortheresponsewasbelow70% [Skovetal., 1996]. Nine of the nineteen studies dealing with work-related psychosocial factors and shoulder problems included in this study (Table IV) were also included in the review of Windt et al [2000] [Dimberg et al, 1989;Kamwendo et al, 1991;Bernard et al, 1994;Johansson and Rubenowitz, 1994;Lagerström et al, 1995;Burdorf et al, 1997;Lemasters et al, 1998].…”

Interview versus questionnaire for assessing physical loads in the population-based MUSIC-Norrt�lje study

“…More detailed information about the type of activity, intensity, duration, and frequency of exposure is necessary to accurately estimate the magnitudes of associations and possible exposureresponse relationships. Moreover, certain psychosocial conditions are associated with increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders [Bigos and Battie, 1996;Bongers et al, 1993;Houtman et al, 1994;Ahlberg-Hulthén et al, 1995;Leino and Hänninen, 1995;Ekberg et al, 1995;Papageorgiou et al, 1997]. Therefore, physical as well as psychosocial factors should preferably be measured within the same study.…”