Psychosocial Job Factors Associated with Back and Neck Pain in Public Transit Operators

• Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Environment ＆ Health, 1997-06, Vol.23 (3), p.179-186
• Main Authors: Krause, Niklas, Ragland, David R, Greiner, Birgit A, Syme, Leonard, Fisher, June M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Automobile Driving - psychology; Automobile Driving - statistics & numerical data; Back Pain - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Chi-Square Distribution; Confidence Intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Diseases of the spine; Female; Human back; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Logistic Models; Male; Manual labor; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neck pain; Neck Pain - epidemiology; Occupational Health - statistics & numerical data; Occupational psychology; Odds Ratio; Overtime; Prevalence; Psychological stress; Psychology; Public transportation; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; San Francisco - epidemiology; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Transportation - statistics & numerical data; Vehicle weight; Work Schedule Tolerance; Workload - psychology; Workload - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.196

Objectives This cross-sectional study examined associations between psychosocial job factors and the prevalence of nondisabling back or neck pain in professional drivers after physical work load was taken into account. Methods A total of 1449 transit vehicle operators completed a medical examination and a questionnaire yielding information on demographic and anthropométrie variables, health status, and physical and psychosocial job factors. Company records were used to supplement information on employment history. Physical work load was measured in life-time years and current weekly hours of professional driving. The relation of psychosocial factors with back or neck pain was analyzed by logistic regression models adjusted for past and current physical work load, vehicle type, age, gender, body height, and weight. Results The main result of this study was that both physical work load and psychosocial factors were simultaneously and independently associated with back or neck pain. Psychosocial factors associated with back or neck pain included extended uninterrupted driving periods, frequency of job problems, high psychological demands, high job dissatisfaction, and low supervisory support. An analysis of specific job problems is provided which may be useful in setting priorities for research and intervention efforts in this high risk occupation. Conclusion The results provide support for the role of psychosocial job characteristics in the etiology of back or neck pain in occupational settings.