Do physical or psychosocial factors at work predict multi-site musculoskeletal pain? A 4-year prospective study among industrial population
本研究追踪734名食品加工厂员工4年，发现重复性工作、不良姿势以及低工作满意度等心理社会因素显著增加多部位肌肉骨骼疼痛的风险，对预防工作残疾有参考价值。
<h3>Objectives</h3> Musculoskeletal pain at multiple sites is common among working-age people and it strongly increases work disability. Little is known of the work-related physical and psychosocial factors contributing to multi-site pain. <h3>Methods</h3> Survey responses from 734 employees (518 blue- and 216 white-collar; 65% female) of a food processing company were collected twice, in 2005 and 2009. Information on musculoskeletal pain during the preceding week, and physical and psychosocial work exposures were obtained through a structural questionnaire. The risk of multi-site pain related to the single and joint effects of work exposures was estimated by gender and age-group with logistic regression. <h3>Results</h3> At baseline, 56% had pain in more than one area, and 50% at 4-year follow-up. Forty percent of all employees had multi-site pain throughout the follow-up. Among those with multi-site pain at baseline, 69% had multi-site pain at follow-up. Both repetitive work and awkward work postures at baseline increased the risk of multi-site pain at follow-up by more than fourfold. Psychosocial factors (low job satisfaction, low team sprit and low possibilities to exert influence at work) also strongly predicted multi-site pain at follow-up, especially among younger workers and men. A strong dose-response relationship was detected between the number of exposures and the outcome. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Musculoskeletal pain at multiple sites is a common and persistent phenomenon among industrial workers. Physical and psychosocial factors significantly contribute to multi-site pain. Prevention of multi-site pain with many-sided modification of work exposures is likely to reduce work disability.