Low back pain among office workers in three Spanish-speaking countries: Findings from the CUPID study

Artículo científicoObjectives—To assess differences in the prevalence and incidence of low back pain (LBP) and associated disability among office workers in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Spain. Methods—Data were collected at baseline (n=947, 93% response) in November 2007 and at follow-up after 12 months (n=853, 90% response). Six outcome measures were examined: baseline prevalence of (1) LBP in past 12 months, (2) LBP in past month, and (3) disabling LBP in past month; and at follow-up: (4) incidence of new LBP in the past month, (5) new disabling LBP, and (6) persistent LBP. Differences in prevalence by country were characterized by odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs), before and after adjustment for covariates. Results—Prevalence of LBP in the past month among office employees in Costa Rica (46.0%) and Nicaragua (44.2%) was higher than in Spain (33.6%). Incidence of new LBP was 37.0% in Nicaragua (OR=2.49; 95% CI: 1.57-3.95), 14.9% in Costa Rica (OR=0.74; 95% CI: 0.41-1.34), and 19.0% in Spain (reference). Incidence of new disabling LBP was higher in Nicaragua, 17.2%(OR=2.49; 95% CI: 1.43-4.34) and Costa Rica, 13.6% (OR=1.89; 95% CI: 1.03-3.48) than Spain (7.7%), while persistence of LBP was higher only in Nicaragua. Conclusions—Prevalence of LBP and disabling LBP was higher in Costa Rican and Nicaraguan office workers than in Spain, but incidence was higher mainly in Nicaragua. Measured sociodemographic, job-related and health-related variables only partly explained the differences between countries, and further research is needed to explore reasons for the remaining differences

North American Engineering, Procurement, Fabrication and Construction Worker Safety Climate Perception Affected by Job Position

Understanding and implementing the results of Safety Climate surveys can assist in decreasing occupational injuries and illnesses. The following article presents findings of a cross-sectional study that assessed the relationship between safety climate perceptions and job position among engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction (EPFC) employees using a 15-item survey. Descriptive statistics (means and frequencies) and an ANACOVA (analysis of covariance) were performed on a saturated model. The study had a 62% response rate. Results indicate a statistically significant in mean safety climate scores between job position among EPFC employees when controlling for years in industry and location type (i.e., construction versus fabrication) [F (9, 603) = 5.28, p < 0.0001, adjusted R-square = 0.07]. Employee perception of safety climate differed based on the employee’s job position (i.e., laborer, foreman, etc.). Project management reported the highest safety climate scores (0.91), followed by supervisors (0.86), technical support employees and foremen (0.84) and laborers (0.81)

The Associations between Occupational Health and Safety Management System Programming Level and Prior Injury and Illness Rates in the U.S. Dairy Industry

U.S. dairy workers suffer occupational injuries and illnesses at rates higher than the national average. Occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) have been proposed as a way to reduce injuries and illnesses for businesses of all types and sizes. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) On-Site Consultation Service provides assistance establishing an OHSMS to U.S. businesses. As part of this service, the consultants determine the level of OHSMS programming using the Safety and Health Program Assessment Worksheet (Revised OSHA Form 33). A total of 167 dairy industry records were obtained from OSHA. Forty-five of those records had both injury rate and OHSMS data. Using these records, a Spearman Rank-Order correlation was used to determine the strength and significance of the associations between prior injury rates and OSHA measured OHSMS programming level for dairy operations. Additional analyses were conducted to examine potential relationships between workforce size, injury rates, and OHSMS programming levels. There was a negative correlation between OHSMS programming level and injury rates, both for the overall OHSMS and by OHSMS component. Management Leadership was the OHSMS component most strongly associated with lower injury and illness rates. OHSMS interventions, as part of a comprehensive risk management approach for the U.S. dairy industry, may be warranted to help reduce the unacceptable number of injury and illnesses in the U.S. dairy industry. Further research is needed to determine if similar relationships between OHSMS programming and injury rates occur in other industries

Upper extremity musculoskeletal pain among office workers in three Spanish-speaking countries: findings from the CUPID study

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence and incidence of upper extremity musculoskeletal pain (UEMP) and related disability among office workers in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Spain. METHODS: Data from the multinational Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability (CUPID) study on 947 (93%) participants at baseline with 90% follow-up after 12 months were employed. Logistic regression was used to estimate the associations (ORs and corresponding 95% CIs) between country and six outcomes: baseline prevalence of (1) UEMP in past 12 months, (2) UEMP in past month and (3) disabling UEMP in past month; (4) incidence of new UEMP at follow-up; (5) incidence of new disabling UEMP at follow-up and (6) persistence of UEMP at follow-up, after adjustment for sociodemographic, job-related and health-related covariates. RESULTS: Baseline prevalence of UEMP in the past month was higher in Costa Rica (53.6%) (OR=1.89; 95% CI 1.36 to 2.62) and Nicaragua (51.9%) (OR=1.74; 95% CI 1.28 to 2.35) than in Spain (38.4%). Compared to Spain (33.2%), the incidence of new UEMP was 50.4% in Costa Rica (OR=2.04; 95% CI 1.34 to 3.12) and 60.2% in Nicaragua (OR=3.04; 95% CI 2.06 to 4.50). The incidence of disabling UEMP was higher in Nicaragua (OR=2.57; 95% CI 1.50 to 4.41) and Costa Rica (OR=2.16; 95% CI 1.22 to 3.84) when compared to Spain. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of UEMP was approximately twofold higher and its incidence twofold to threefold higher in Costa Rica and Nicaragua as compared with Spain. Between-country differences were only partially explained by the covariates analysed. Research is needed to explore other aspects of work and cultural attributes that might explain the residual differences in UEMP.Funding for this research was supported by Grant No. 5T42OH008421 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (SWCOEH), a NIOSH Education and Research Center, Fogarty grant No. 5D43TW000644-13 and Colt Foundation CF/03/0

Low back pain among office workers in three Spanish-speaking countries: findings from the CUPID study

OBJECTIVES: To assess the differences in the prevalence and incidence of low back pain (LBP) and associated disability among office workers in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Spain. METHODS: Data were collected at baseline (n=947, 93% response) in November 2007 and at follow-up after 12 months (n=853, 90% response). Six outcome measures were examined: baseline prevalence of (1) LBP in the past 12 months, (2) LBP in the past month and (3) disabling LBP in the past month; and at follow-up: (4) incidence of new LBP in the past month, (5) new disabling LBP and (6) persistent LBP. Differences in prevalence by country were characterised by ORs with 95% CIs, before and after adjustment for covariates. RESULTS: Prevalence of LBP in the past month among office employees in Costa Rica (46.0%) and Nicaragua (44.2%) was higher than in Spain (33.6%). Incidence of new LBP was 37.0% in Nicaragua (OR=2.49; 95% CI 1.57 to 3.95), 14.9% in Costa Rica (OR=0.74; 95% CI 0.41 to 1.34) and 19.0% in Spain (reference). Incidence of new disabling LBP was higher in Nicaragua (17.2%; OR=2.49; 95% CI 1.43 to 4.34) and Costa Rica (13.6%; OR=1.89; 95% CI 1.03 to 3.48) than Spain (7.7%), while persistence of LBP was higher only in Nicaragua. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of LBP and disabling LBP was higher in Costa Rican and Nicaraguan office workers than in Spain, but the incidence was higher mainly in Nicaragua. Measured sociodemographic, job-related and health-related variables only partly explained the differences between countries, and further research is needed to explore reasons for the remaining differences.Funding for this research was provided by Grant No. 5T42OH008421 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (SWCOEH), a NIOSH Education and Research Center, Fogarty grant No. 5D43TW000644-13 and the Colt Foundation CF/03/0