Perceived occupational exposures of home care workers and the association to general tension, shoulder-neck and low back pain

• Published in: Work (Reading, Mass.) Mass.), 2014-01, Vol.49 (4), p.723-733
• Main Authors: Robstad Andersen, Gunn, Westgaard, Rolf H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Back pain; Correlation analysis; Demand; Exposure; Female; Health risk assessment; Home Health Aides - psychology; Home health care; Humans; Low Back Pain - etiology; Low Back Pain - psychology; Male; Municipalities; Muscle Tonus; Musculoskeletal system; Neck Pain - etiology; Neck Pain - psychology; Norway; Occupational; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Occupational health; Pain; Perception; Physical work; Risk Factors; Shoulder Pain - etiology; Shoulder Pain - psychology; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Upper Extremity - injuries; Working conditions; Workload - standards; Workplace - psychology; Workplace - standards
• ISSN: 1051-9815; 1875-9270
• DOI: 10.3233/WOR-131710

BACKGROUND: Home care workers are at risk of various harmful occupational exposures, health complaints and sick leave. OBJECTIVE: Identifying occupational exposures related to shoulder-neck and low back pain, and assessing the comparative importance of such exposures, for home care workers. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-eight home care workers in a large municipality in Norway participated in the study (response rate 76.2%). Questionnaire comprised a combination of standardized items and context-specific VAS scales on mental, social, emotional and physical work demands, perceived general tension and pain in shoulder-neck and low back. RESULTS: Severe pain scores for both shoulder-neck and low back regions were common, with individual variations. All VAS measures on occupational exposures were significantly correlated with shoulder-neck pain and all except social demands were significantly correlated with low back pain. However, stronger associations were found with perceived general tension, which proved to be the strongest predictor of shoulder-neck and low back pain, indicating a mediating effect in the relationship between occupational exposures and musculoskeletal pain. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying and alleviating occupational exposures is important to ensure a healthy and sustainable work environment. Special attention should be drawn to early signs of symptoms, such as general tension, preventing further development of musculoskeletal pain.