The impact of self-reported exposure to whole-body-vibrations on the risk of disability pension among men: a 15 year prospective study.
BACKGROUND
Whole-body-vibrations are often associated with adverse health effect but the long term effects are less known. This study investigates the association between occupational exposures to whole-body vibrations, and subsequent transition to disability pension.


METHODS
A total of 4215 male employees were followed up for subsequent disability pension retirement. Exposure to whole-body-vibration was self-reported while new cases of disability pension were retrieved from a national register.


RESULTS
The hazard ratio (HR) for disability pension retirement among men exposed to whole-body-vibrations was 1.61 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-2.40) after adjustment for age, smoking habits, BMI, physical job demands and awkward work postures. In our model, with the available explanatory variables, 5.6% of the male disability pension cases were attributable to whole-body-vibrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to whole-body-vibrations predicts subsequent disability pension retirement. Continued reduction of whole-body-vibrations may reduce the number of new cases of disability pension.
Department of Epidemiology and surveillance, The National Research Centre for Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. ftu@nrcwe.dk
Finn
F
Tüchsen
Helene
H
Feveile
Karl B
KB
Christensen
Niklas
N
Krause
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003718:Denmark; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000145:classification; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010415:Pensions; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012179:Retirement; D014732:Vibration / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult