title: Pain and disability do not influence psychological and social factors at work among sick-listed patients with neck and back pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is unknown whether living with neck and back pain, disability, and mental disorders influences the perception of psychological and social factors at work among sick-listed patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary aim of the present study was to examine the associations between pain, disability, anxiety, depression, and perceived psychological and social factors at work among sick-listed patients with neck and back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional study of 380 sick-listed patients with neck and low-back pain who were referred to spine clinics at two Norwegian university hospitals. Ordinal regression was applied, with psychological and social factors at work as the dependent variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain was not associated with psychological and social factors at work. Disability was associated with a minor increase in the perception of demands among women, but not men. Women with high anxiety or depression scores experienced less control over work situations and less positive challenges at work. Men with high depression scores perceived low support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sick-listed patients with neck and back pain who had concurrent anxiety or depression reported increased psychological and social challenges at work. To provide suitable treatment in the clinical setting, further attention should be paid to the interaction between anxiety or depression and perceived job strain.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.|Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Gunn Hege
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Marchand
authors.affiliation: Lovisenberg Diakonale Hospital, Oslo, Norway.|National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Kjersti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Myhre
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval, Oslo, Norway.|Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Cecilie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Røe
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval, Oslo, Norway.|Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bautz-Holter
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.|Department of Clinical Medicine, Neuromuscular Diseases Research Group, The Arctic University of Norway UIT, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leivseth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D018582:Sick Leave; D012944:Social Support; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Work environment; job stress; psychosocial environment; sickness absence