The impact of psychosocial factors on low back pain: longitudinal results from the Belstress study.

Full Abstract

STUDY

DESIGN:
An epidemiological cohort study.

OBJECTIVE:
To describe the impact of psychosocial factors, both work and nonwork-related, on the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) after 6.6 years on average.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA:
There is growing consensus that psychosocial factors play a role in the development of LBP, although results are not consistent across studies.

METHODS:
Within a sample of 2556 middle-aged men and women from the Belstress study, baseline psychosocial factors were measured through self-administered questionnaires and related to prevalent cases of LBP after a mean time interval of 6.6 years through Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS:
After adjustment for individual and physical risks, including occasional back pain at baseline, the prevalence rate of LBP in men is significantly related to baseline low decision latitude and low social support at work, and nonsignificantly to high job strain, low wage and job satisfaction, feeling stressed at work, and feeling depressed. High job insecurity, feeling stressed at work, and feeling depressed nonsignificantly increase the relative risks for LBP in women.

CONCLUSIONS:
Based on the results of this study, psychosocial factors (both work and nonwork-related) constitute nonnegligible risks for the development of LBP.

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Author information

Author/s: Clays, Els (E); De Bacquer, Dirk (D); Leynen, Francoise (F); Kornitzer, Marcel (M); Kittel, France (F); De Backer, Guy (G);

Affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ghent University, University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. els.clays(-atsign-)UGent.be

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Spine (Spine), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Jan; vol 32 (issue 2) : pp 262-8

Dates: Created 2007/01/16; Completed 2007/02/06;

PMID: 17224824, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Cohort Studies
Decision Making
Depression - complications
Female
Humans
Job Satisfaction
Longitudinal Studies
Low Back Pain - epidemiology; etiology
Male

Middle Aged
Prevalence
Proportional Hazards Models
Psychology
Questionnaires
Risk Factors
Salaries and Fringe Benefits
Social Support
Stress, Psychological - complications
Work

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