title: Cross-sectional associations between occupational factors and musculoskeletal pain in women teachers, nurses and sonographers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is usually assumed that musculoskeletal pain is associated with both the physical workload and the psychosocial work environment, as well as with personal and lifestyle factors. This study aims to ascertain the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in women with varying or different occupational exposures, and to explore the associations between musculoskeletal pain and the occupational and personal factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire on physical, psychosocial and individual factors was answered by 1591 women in five occupational groups with contrasting occupational exposures (teachers, anaesthetic, theatre, and assistant nurses, and sonographers). The outcome measure was musculoskeletal pain (in a new model based on frequency and intensity of complaints the preceding year) from the neck, shoulders, hands, lower back and feet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neck pain was equally frequent among teachers, assistant nurses and sonographers, and less frequent in anaesthetic and theatre nurses. The sonographers experienced the highest prevalence of shoulder pain, while the assistant nurses were the most affected in the wrists and hands, lower back, and feet. The teachers reported the highest scores in most of the psychosocial dimensions. The theatre nurses scored highest in strenuous work postures and movements (mechanical exposure index, MEI), and the assistant nurses in physical activity and lifting (physical exposure index, PHYI). Multivariable models in the total population showed that both the physical workload and the psychosocial work environment were associated with pain in all body regions, though different factors affected different regions. Pain in the neck, shoulders, hands and lower back was strongly associated with a high MEI and high job demands, while pain in the feet was associated with a high PHYI and a high BMI. A young age was associated with pain in the neck, and an older age was associated with pain in the hands and feet. Lack of time for personal recovery was associated with pain in the shoulders and lower back.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The occupational groups were affected differently and need different protective measures. For the teachers, the psychosocial work environment should be improved. The surgical staff and sonographers require measures to mitigate lifting and constrained postures.
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85, Lund, Sweden. inger.arvidsson@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arvidsson
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gremark Simonsen
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dahlqvist
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Axmon
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karlson
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Björk
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nordander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009726:Nurses; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016526:Workload