title: Prevalence of thoracic spine pain in a surveillance network.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Back pain has long been identified as a major occupational health issue, but there are few prevalence studies on thoracic spine pain (TSP). The epidemiological surveillance of musculoskeletal disorders implemented in 2002 by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance in the Pays de la Loire region provided the opportunity to study the prevalence of TSP in a large, representative sample of workers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of TSP across a week in a regional workforce according to age, occupational category and industry sector in men and women separately.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of workers aged 20-59 years, representative of the regional workforce, was constituted between 2002 and 2005. Medical and occupational data were gathered by questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample consisted of 3710 workers (58% men). The prevalence of TSP was higher in women (17%) than in men (9%). Lower grade male white-collar workers were more likely to report TSP (17%) than male workers in other occupational categories, whereas upper grade female white-collar and professional workers were more likely to report TSP. No significant difference in the prevalence of TSP was noted in either men or women according to industry sector.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although TSP is less frequent than low back and neck pain, the results of this study indicate that 1 in 10 men and 1 in 5 women suffer from TSP.
authors.affiliation: French Institute for Public Health Surveillance, Department of Occupational Health, F-49045 Saint-Maurice, France, LUNAM University, University of Angers, Laboratory of Ergonomics and Epidemiology in Occupational Health (LEEST), F-49045 Angers, France, INSERM Versailles University, UMS 011, 'Population-Based Epidemiological Cohorts' Research Unit, F-94807 Villejuif, France, natacha.fouquet@univ-angers.fr.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fouquet
authors.affiliation: LUNAM University, University of Angers, Laboratory of Ergonomics and Epidemiology in Occupational Health (LEEST), F-49045 Angers, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bodin
authors.affiliation: INSERM Versailles University, UMS 011, 'Population-Based Epidemiological Cohorts' Research Unit, F-94807 Villejuif, France, Univ Versailles St-Quentin, F-78035 Versailles, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Descatha
authors.affiliation: LUNAM University, University of Angers, Laboratory of Ergonomics and Epidemiology in Occupational Health (LEEST), F-49045 Angers, France, CHU Angers, F-49933 Angers, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.affiliation: LUNAM University, University of Angers, Laboratory of Ergonomics and Epidemiology in Occupational Health (LEEST), F-49045 Angers, France, Department of General Practice, LUNAM University, University of Angers, F-49045 Angers, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramond
authors.affiliation: French Institute for Public Health Surveillance, Department of Occupational Health, F-49045 Saint-Maurice, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: LUNAM University, University of Angers, Laboratory of Ergonomics and Epidemiology in Occupational Health (LEEST), F-49045 Angers, France, CHU Angers, F-49933 Angers, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Roquelaure
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016272:Occupational Health; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries
keywords: Musculoskeletal disorders; occupation; prevalence; thoracic spine pain.