Factors associated with medical care-seeking due to low-back pain in scaffolders.

BACKGROUND Few studies have demonstrated the consequences of having back pain and the mechanisms underlying decisions to seek medical care. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of back pain and other musculoskeletal complaints and to identify factors that determine specific type of care-seeking due to back pain among scaffolders. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among 323 scaffolders. A questionnaire was used to collect data on musculoskeletal complaints and type of medical care sought. Logistic regression analysis was performed to study the risk factors for care-seeking for LBP, estimating Prevalence Ratios (PR) as a measure of association. RESULTS The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints was high. Severe back pain was reported by 28% of the scaffolders, LBP with sciatic pain by 23%, with sickness absence by 21%, with disability by 21%, and chronic back pain by 14%. Back pain was often accompanied by complaints of neck, shoulder, or knee. A general practitioner was sought by 44% of the workers with LBP, a physiotherapist by 22%, an occupational physician by 20%, and a specialist by 11%. The nature and severity of back pain seemed to determine the decision to visit the GP. Irradiating pain and sickness absence were the strongest predictors for seeking medical care and being referred to a specialist or physiotherapist. CONCLUSION The particular definition of back pain and the selection process of workers with LBP may partly determine the findings on work-related risk factors and health care utilization.

[1]  A Ahlbom,et al.  Job decision latitude, job demands, and cardiovascular disease: a prospective study of Swedish men. , 1981, American journal of public health.

[2]  F. Biering-Sørensen.  A prospective study of low back pain in a general population. III. Medical service--work consequence. , 2020, Scandinavian journal of rehabilitation medicine.

[3]  B. Jonsson,et al.  Standardised Nordic questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. , 1987, Applied ergonomics.

[4]  R. Deyo,et al.  Descriptive Epidemiology of Low‐back Pain and Its Related Medical Care in the United States , 1987, Spine.

[5]  John W. Frymoyer,et al.  Back pain and sciatica. , 1988, The New England journal of medicine.

[6]  R A Deyo,et al.  Cost, controversy, crisis: low back pain and the health of the public. , 1991, Annual review of public health.

[7]  M. Skovron,et al.  Epidemiology of low back pain. , 1992, Bailliere's clinical rheumatology.

[8]  S. Dworkin,et al.  Grading the severity of chronic pain , 1992, Pain.

[9]  N. Hadler,et al.  Care‐Seeking Among Individuals With Chronic Low Back Pain , 1995, Spine.

[10]  L M Bouter,et al.  Shoulder disorders in general practice: prognostic indicators of outcome. , 1996, The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

[11]  R P Wells,et al.  Disability resulting from occupational low back pain. Part I: What do we know about primary prevention? A review of the scientific evidence on prevention before disability begins. , 1996, Spine.

[12]  R. Mcnutt,et al.  Acute Severe Low Back Pain: A Population-based Study of Prevalence and Care-seeking , 1996, Spine.

[13]  M Hagberg,et al.  Musculoskeletal symptoms and job strain among nursing personnel: a study over a three year period. , 1997, Occupational and environmental medicine.

[14]  A. Burdorf,et al.  Positive and negative evidence of risk factors for back disorders. , 1997, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[15]  H Hemingway,et al.  Sickness absence from back pain, psychosocial work characteristics and employment grade among office workers. , 1997, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[16]  Monique H. W. Frings-Dresen,et al.  Musculoskeletal complaints in the Netherlands in relation to age, gender and physically demanding work , 1997, International archives of occupational and environmental health.

[17]  H. Morgenstern,et al.  The Effects of Comorbidity and Other Factors on Medical Versus Chiropractic Care for Back Problems , 1997, Spine.

[18]  H Morgenstern,et al.  Correlates of back problems and back-related disability in the United States. , 1997, Journal of clinical epidemiology.

[19]  L. Bouter,et al.  On the course of low back pain in general practice: a one year follow up study , 1998, Annals of the rheumatic diseases.

[20]  A. Burdorf,et al.  Prognostic factors for musculoskeletal sickness absence and return to work among welders and metal workers. , 1998, Occupational and environmental medicine.

[21]  E. Vingård,et al.  Workplace factors and care seeking for low-back pain among female nursing personnel. MUSIC-Norrtälje Study Group. , 1998, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[22]  H. Morgenstern,et al.  The effect of comorbidity on care seeking for back problems in the United States. , 1999, Annals of epidemiology.

[23]  A J van der Beek,et al.  The influence of work characteristics on the need for recovery and experienced health: a study on coach drivers. , 1999, Ergonomics.

[24]  P. Côté,et al.  The factors associated with neck pain and its related disability in the Saskatchewan population. , 2000, Spine.

[25]  Anne-Marie Feyer,et al.  The role of physical and psychological factors in occupational low back pain: a prospective cohort study , 2000, Occupational and environmental medicine.

[26]  H. Eriksen,et al.  Subjective health complaints. , 2002, Scandinavian journal of psychology.