title: Work stress and incidence of newly diagnosed fibromyalgia: prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the prospective association between occupational stress and incidence of newly diagnosed fibromyalgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study with questionnaire surveys in 1998 and 2000 completed by 4791 hospital employees (4250 women and 541 men). Stress, as indicated by high workload, low decision latitude, and being a victim of workplace bullying, was assessed in the first survey. Incident cases (n=47) were employees reporting physician-diagnosed fibromyalgia in 2000 but not in 1998. Covariates were sex, age, income, obesity, and smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for covariates, the odds ratio of incident diagnosed fibromyalgia for workplace bullying was 4.1 (95% CI 2.0-9.6). The corresponding odds ratios for high workload and low decision latitude were 2.1 (1.2-3.9) and 2.1 (1.1-4.0), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stress seems to be a contributing factor in the development of fibromyalgia, but further research is needed to examine whether stress perceptions are affected by undiagnosed fibromyalgia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, FIN-00014, Helsinki, Finland. mika.kivimaki@ttl.fi
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leino-Arjas
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virtanen
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elovainio
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Keltikangas-Järvinen
authors.forename: Sampsa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puttonen
authors.forename: Maarit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vartia
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vahtera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D016526:Workload; D017132:Workplace