0112 Work environment and health in denmark – risk factors related to physical work demands for long-term sickness absence

ObjectiveThis study investigates the role of age for the prospective association between physical work demands and long-term sickness absence (LTSA).MethodsWe followed 69 117 employees of the general working population (Work Environment and Health in Denmark study 2012–2018), without LTSA during the past 52 weeks preceding initial interview, for up to 2 years in the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalisation. Self-reported physical work demands were based on a combined ergonomic index including seven different types of exposure during the working day. Using weighted Cox regression analyses controlling for years of age, gender, survey year, education, lifestyle, depressive symptoms and psychosocial work factors, we determined the interaction of age with physical work demands for the risk of LTSA.ResultsDuring follow-up, 8.4% of the participants developed LTSA. Age and physical work demands interacted (p<0.01). In the fully adjusted model, very high physical work demands were associated with LTSA with HRs of 1.18 (95% CI 0.93 to 1.50), 1.57 (95% CI 1.41 to 1.75) and 2.09 (95% CI 1.81 to 2.41) for 20, 40 and 60 years old (point estimates), respectively. Results remained robust in subgroup analyses including only skilled and unskilled workers and stratified for gender.ConclusionThe health consequences of high physical work demands increase with age. Workplaces should consider adapting physical work demands to the capacity of workers in different age groups.

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Physical work environment risk factors for long term sickness absence: prospective findings among a cohort of 5357 employees in Denmark

BMJ ◽

10.1136/bmj.38731.622975.3a ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 332 (7539) ◽

pp. 449-452 ◽

Cited By ~ 125

Author(s):

Thomas Lund ◽

Merete Labriola ◽

Karl Bang Christensen ◽

Ute Bültmann ◽

Ebbe Villadsen

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Work Environment ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Physical Work ◽

Physical Work Environment

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Long-term sickness absence from combined factors related to physical work demands: prospective cohort study

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/cky073 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (5) ◽

pp. 824-829 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Lars L Andersen ◽

Sannie V Thorsen ◽

Mari-Ann Flyvholm ◽

Andreas Holtermann

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Prospective Cohort Study ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Physical Work ◽

Work Demands ◽

Physical Work Demands

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Important work demands for reducing sickness absence among workers with neck or upper back pain: a prospective cohort study

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12891-019-2909-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Stefan Oliv ◽

Ewa Gustafsson ◽

Adnan Noor Baloch ◽

Mats Hagberg ◽

Helena Sandén

Keyword(s):

Back Pain ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Work Ability ◽

Older Workers ◽

Age Groups ◽

Physical Work ◽

Work Demands ◽

Work Demand ◽

Physical Work Demands ◽

Work Ability Score

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate what exposure to work demands, physical and psychosocial, is associated with lower levels of sickness absence among workers with neck or upper back pain in different groups, by age, gender, duration of sickness absence and work ability score. Methods This study was a prospective study of 4567 workers with neck or upper back pain. Data on neck or upper back pain, work demand and work ability were obtained from the Swedish Work Environment survey over a 3–year period (2009–2013). Register data on sickness absence, 1 year after each survey was conducted, were obtained from the Swedish health insurance database. Analyses were performed to estimate the association between self-reported work demands and registered sick days > 14 days. The analyses were stratified for gender, age group and work ability score. Results Lower numbers of sick days were found for workers reporting low exposure to lifting ≥15 kg and twisted or forward-leaning work postures. Lower numbers of sick days were found for workers reporting high work control and seated work. The associations were generally stronger in the older age groups for the physical work demands. Conclusions The findings in this study suggest that certain physical work demands and having high control over one’s work can result in lower sickness absence, especially among middle-aged and older workers with neck or upper back pain.

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High physical work demands and working life expectancy in Denmark

Occupational and Environmental Medicine ◽

10.1136/oemed-2019-106359 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 77 (8) ◽

pp. 576-582 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jacob Pedersen ◽

Bastian Bygvraa Schultz ◽

Ida E H Madsen ◽

Svetlana Solovieva ◽

Lars L Andersen

Keyword(s):

Life Expectancy ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Working Life ◽

Physical Work ◽

Retirement Age ◽

Work Demands ◽

Physical Work Demands ◽

The Impact

ObjectiveIn most European countries, political reforms gradually increase the statutory retirement age to counter the economic costs of a growing elderly population. However, working to a high age may be difficult for people with hard physical labour. We aim to study the impact of high physical work demands on working life expectancy (WLE).MethodsWe combined physical work demands assessed by job exposure matrix (JEM) and longitudinal high-quality national registers (outcome) in 1.6 million Danish workers to estimate WLE and years of sickness absence, unemployment and disability pension. The JEM value for physical work demand is a summarised score of eight ergonomic exposures for 317 occupations groups, sex and age. The WLE was estimated using a multistate proportional hazards model in a 4-year follow-up period.ResultsIndividuals with high physical work demands had a significantly lower WLE, than those with low physical work demands, with largest differences seen among women. At age 30 years, women with high physical work demands can expect 3.1 years less working, 11 months more of sickness absence and 16 months more of unemployment than low-exposed women. For 30-year-old men, the corresponding results were 2.0 years, 12 months and 8 months, respectively.ConclusionOur findings show that high physical work demands are a marked risk factor for a shortened working life and increased years of sickness absence and unemployment. The results are important when selecting high-risk occupations, and expand the knowledge base for informed political decision making concerning statutory retirement age.

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Physical Work Demands of Childcare Workers in Denmark: Device-Based Measurements and Workplace Observations Among 199 Childcare Workers from 16 Day Nurseries

Annals of Work Exposures and Health ◽

10.1093/annweh/wxaa041 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 64 (6) ◽

pp. 586-595 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Andreas Holtermann ◽

Peter Fjeldstad Hendriksen ◽

Kathrine Greby Schmidt ◽

Malene Jagd Svendsen ◽

Charlotte Diana Nørregaard Rasmussen

Keyword(s):

Sickness Absence ◽

Working Hours ◽

Physical Work ◽

Work Demands ◽

Physical Work Demands ◽

Electronic Survey ◽

Trunk Inclination ◽

Activity Types ◽

Childcare Workers ◽

Working Day

Abstract Objectives Childcare workers in Denmark have high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and sickness absence, but the existing knowledge of their physical work demands is limited, hampering preventive initiatives. This study aimed to assess the physical work demands with accelerometers and workplace observations of childcare workers handling children age 0–3. Methods Data collection consisted of an electronic survey, anthropometric measurements, accelerometer measurements providing information of physical activity types and postures with Acti4 software from five consecutive workdays, as well as 4-h visual workplace observation per childcare worker from 16 Danish nurseries. Results In total, 199 childcare workers were enrolled in the study. A total of 4181 working hours of accelerometer measurements and 722 h of workplace observations were carried out. Accelerometer measurements showed that they spent about half of the working day (44.8%) in sedentary postures, and the rest standing (22.8%), moving (13.0%), walking (14.6%), running (0.1%), and climbing stairs (0.7%), with 4.1% in knee straining postures (kneeling and squatting) and 4.3% forward trunk inclination >60°. Workplace observations showed that they carried children 1.8% of the working hours. Conclusions Physical work demands of Danish childcare workers are characterized by about half of the workday being sedentary, and the remaining of the workday being quite evenly distributed between standing and dynamic activities, with low exposures to carrying children. Their exposure to forward bending of the trunk and knee straining postures could impose a risk for MSP and sickness absence, and preventive initiatives should be considered.

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Risk factors of long-term sickness absence in Norway and Sweden

Nordic Journal of Social Research ◽

10.7577/njsr.2067 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vegard Johansen

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Low Income ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Work Conditions ◽

Income Level ◽

Postal Questionnaire ◽

Physical Work ◽

And Gender

Aims: This paper examines the level of long-term sickness absence (LTSA) in Norway and Sweden. It also investigates whether risk factors of LTSA are the same in Norway and Sweden. Methods: More than 2500 Norwegian and Swedish workers between 20 and 60 years of age answered a postal questionnaire. The Norwegian and Swedish samples are weighted and representative with regard to regional background variables and demographic background variables, but the response rate was low. LTSA is defined as 15 days or more sickness absence in the previous year. Binary logistic regression is used to detect which factors influence LTSA. The analyses of LTSA include demographic factors, socio-economic position, and occupational characteristics. Results: Nineteen per cent of respondents in Norway and 11 per cent of respondents in Sweden experienced LTSA in the previous year. Many respondents from Sweden report mental problems and many Norwegian respondents report pain in back, neck, knuckles, and muscles. Income level is the most important predictor of LTSA in both countries. The direct impacts of gender, age, and physical work conditions are stronger in Norway than Sweden.Discussion: In accordance with official statistics and previous studies, the proportion of Norwegian respondents with LTSA is much higher than the proportion of Swedish respondents. The different levels of LTSA could be linked to differences in social policy. In line with previous studies, respondents with low income are overrepresented with LTSA, and gender, age, and physical work also matter. In contrast to previous studies, there is not any evidence of higher levels of LTSA among non-western immigrants, people with less education, and non-managers. These results reflect the control for ‘income level’, but they could also be related to limits with the survey (non-response, response bias, etc.).

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Retrospectively assessed physical work environment during working life and risk of sickness absence and labour market exit among older workers

Occupational and Environmental Medicine ◽

10.1136/oemed-2016-104279 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 75 (2) ◽

pp. 114-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Emil Sundstrup ◽

Åse Marie Hansen ◽

Erik Lykke Mortensen ◽

Otto Melchior Poulsen ◽

Thomas Clausen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Labour Market ◽

Work Environment ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Older Workers ◽

Disability Pension ◽

Working Life ◽

Physical Work ◽

Market Exit ◽

Physical Work Environment

ObjectiveTo determine the prospective association between retrospectively assessed physical work environment during working life and prospectively assessed sickness absence and labour market exit among older workers.MethodsUsing Cox regression analyses we estimated the 4-year to 6-year prospective risk of register-based long-term sickness absence (LTSA), disability pension, early retirement and unemployment from exposure to different physical work environmental factors during working life among 5076 older workers (age 49–63 at baseline) from the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank cohort.ResultsVery hard physical work throughout working life was a risk factor for LTSA (HR 1.66,95% CI 1.32 to 2.07), disability pension (HR 2.21,95% CI 1.04 to 4.72) and early retirement (HR 1.57,95% CI 1.13 to 2.17). Both short-term (<10 years) and long-term (≥20 years) exposures to lifting or carrying of heavy burdens predicted the risk of LTSA (HRs 1.49–1.56) and disability pension (HRs 2.26–3.29). In contrast, exposure to dust was associated with LTSA and disability pension only following 20 or more exposure years.ConclusionsRetrospectively assessed hard physical work during working life and exposure to several factors in the physical work environment, especially heavy lifting, were important for labour market exit and sickness absence. This study underscores the importance of reducing physical work exposures throughout the working life course for preventing sickness absence and premature exit from the labour market.

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