Understanding Occupation, Sick Leave, and Disability Pension Due to Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis From a Sex Perspective.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between occupation and risk for sick leave or disability pension due to knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA) from a sex perspective.


METHODS
We conducted a population-based study including residents ages 40-70 years in the Skåne region, Sweden (2007) and working in the included job sectors (n = 165,179). We retrieved data on cause-specific sick leave and disability pension (2007-2012) and linked to individual information on occupation and education (2007). Occupations were classified into job sectors. We calculated sex-specific, age-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of sick leave and disability pension due to OA in traditionally female-dominated job sectors (health care, child care, and cleaning) and traditionally male-dominated job sectors (construction, farming, metal work, or transportation) compared to business and administration.


RESULTS
Of all eligible subjects, 2,445 had sick leave or disability pension due to knee or hip OA. Adjusted for age, the risk of sick leave due to knee OA was increased for women working in health care, with an OR of 3.3 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.6-4.2), child care OR 2.9 (95% CI 2.2-3.8), and cleaning OR 3.0 (95% CI 2.2-4.1), as was the risk for disability pension. The risk was increased also for persons working in occupations with higher educational requirements. The risk was similarly increased in male-dominated sectors. In female-dominated job sectors the risk of sick leave and disability pension due to knee OA, but not hip OA, was higher than that for other musculoskeletal diseases.


CONCLUSIONS
Traditionally female-dominated occupational sectors are associated with an increased risk of sick leave and disability pension due to knee OA.
Lund University, and Skåne University Hospital, Epidemiology and Register Centre South, Lund, Sweden.
Jenny
J
Hubertsson
Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Aleksandra
A
Turkiewicz
Lund University, and Skåne University Hospital, Epidemiology and Register Centre South, Lund, Sweden.
Ingemar F
IF
Petersson
Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Epidemiology and Register Centre South, Lund, Sweden, and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
Martin
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3320-2437
M
Englund
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013548:Sweden