Prevalence, Recognition of Work-Relatedness, and Effect on Work of Low Back Pain Among U.S. Workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dahlhamer JM ; Gonzales GT ; Groenewold, Matthew ; Lu M-L ; Luckhaupt SE ; Sweeney, Marie H. ; Ward BW
• Description:
  Background: The employment of patients with back pain has implications for both the factors causing or contributing to the pain and its effects, but few estimates of the proportion of back pain that is related to work in the United States are available. In 2015, the NHIS (National Health Interview Survey) collected supplemental data about the work-relatedness and the effects on work of back pain - specifically, low back pain (LBP) - among U.S. workers for the first time since 1988. Objective: To estimate the burden of LBP among U.S. workers, its work-relatedness, and its effect on work. Methods and Findings: The NHIS is a nationally representative health survey. This study was limited to the 19,441 randomly selected adults in the sample who were employed during the week before the interview (that is, workers) and answered an initial question about LBP and supplemental items on LBP and work. Former workers were excluded. Survey items from the NHIS that were used to define LBP, job characteristics, and effects of LBP on ability to work are presented in the Supplement. Low back pain attributed to work by a health professional was defined as work-related. The final response rate of the 2015 NHIS Sample Adult component was 55.2%. Overall prevalence was 26.4% for any LBP, 8.1% for frequent and severe LBP, and 5.6% for work-related LBP. The prevalence of all 3 outcomes was lowest among workers employed in computer and mathematical occupations. The prevalence of any LBP and work-related LBP was highest in construction and extraction occupations, whereas the prevalence of frequent and severe LBP was highest in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations. Workers who reported frequent exertion or standing were more likely than those who did not to report all 3 outcomes. Description provided by NIOSH
• Subjects:
  • Demography
  • Musculoskeletal Diseases
  • Musculoskeletal System
  • Occupational Health
  • Safety
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
• Keywords:
  • Humans
  • Low back pain
  • Work capability
  • Work performance
  • Health surveys
  • Questionnaires
  • Cross sectional studies
  • Workers
  • Musculoskeletal system disorders
  • MSD
  More +
• ISSN:
  0003-4819
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies ; DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  301-304
• Volume:
  171
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20056034
• Citation:
  Ann Intern Med 2019 Aug; 171(4):301-304
• Contact Point Address:
  Sara E. Luckhaupt, MD, MPH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Annals of Internal Medicine
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/213733/cdc_213733_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 92.78 KB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:cf937c2b9a2cbe1006e154bd6e1fa99d08d0275dac05bb6f12cd460ff43589c591587c70e21ccd0b69d0326a743a1270f49f6cfd16661a0ab5f152a929ca4861