Demographic and occupational predictors of neck pain in pilots: analysis and multinational comparison

This study aimed to elucidate the overall risk and demographic/occupational predictors of neck pain among professional aviators. There were 413 surveys characterizing the severity and character of neck pain symptoms that were administered to a multinational cohort of pilots representing 3 separate a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aviation, space, and environmental medicine space, and environmental medicine, 2014-12, Vol.85 (12), p.1185-1189
Main Authors: Lawson, Bryan K, Scott, Owen, Egbulefu, Fortune J, Ramos, Rosemarie, Jenne, Joel W, Anderson, Edward R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aerospace Medicine
Age Factors
Aircraft
Airframes
Demographics
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neck Pain - etiology
Necks
Occupational
Occupational Diseases - etiology
Pain
Passengers
Pilots
Profession
Risk Factors
Sex Factors
Space life sciences
Time Factors
Workload
Young Adult
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Summary:This study aimed to elucidate the overall risk and demographic/occupational predictors of neck pain among professional aviators. There were 413 surveys characterizing the severity and character of neck pain symptoms that were administered to a multinational cohort of pilots representing 3 separate airframe types. All results were compared to a nonaviator control group. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to elucidate independent predictors of occupationally related neck pain. Of the surveys, 92% were completed and returned. Multivariate analysis reveals that the pilot profession is independently predictive of increased occupational neck pain symptoms (OR 1.94, 95% CI 3.72, 1.01). High performance airframes, cargo/passenger airframes, and increasing age were also independent predictors of increased neck pain scores (OR = 3.91, 95% CI 7.10, 2.15; OR = 3.22, 95% CI 5.83, 1.77; OR = 4.00, 95% CI 7.43, 2.15, respectively). Our broad, multinational/multi-airframe analysis reveals that the pilot profession, most notably high performance and long-haul cargo/passenger airframes, display an increased risk of neck pain symptoms.
ISSN:0095-6562
DOI:10.3357/ASEM.4077.2014