title: Perceived occupational exposures of home care workers and the association to general tension, shoulder-neck and low back pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Home care workers are at risk of various harmful occupational exposures, health complaints and sick leave.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Identifying occupational exposures related to shoulder-neck and low back pain, and assessing the comparative importance of such exposures, for home care workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-eight home care workers in a large municipality in Norway participated in the study (response rate 76.2%). Questionnaire comprised a combination of standardized items and context-specific VAS scales on mental, social, emotional and physical work demands, perceived general tension and pain in shoulder-neck and low back.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severe pain scores for both shoulder-neck and low back regions were common, with individual variations. All VAS measures on occupational exposures were significantly correlated with shoulder-neck pain and all except social demands were significantly correlated with low back pain. However, stronger associations were found with perceived general tension, which proved to be the strongest predictor of shoulder-neck and low back pain, indicating a mediating effect in the relationship between occupational exposures and musculoskeletal pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identifying and alleviating occupational exposures is important to ensure a healthy and sustainable work environment. Special attention should be drawn to early signs of symptoms, such as general tension, preventing further development of musculoskeletal pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Gunn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Robstad Andersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Rolf H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Westgaard
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D018576:Home Health Aides / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009129:Muscle Tonus; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D009664:Norway; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010465:Perception; D012307:Risk Factors; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000293:injuries*; D016526:Workload / Q000592:standards; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards
keywords: Musculoskeletal symptoms; health care; psychosocial risk factors; work environment