Musculoskeletal disorders and disability among forest industry workers in lower and higher sickness absence groups: a case-control study

Abstract

Background: Musculoskeletal wellbeing and disorders and explanatory factors were investigated among forest industry employees.

Methods: A new positive approach to maintenance of working ability focuses on being present at work. 140 individuals with low sickness absence (≤1.5% in hours during the past 6.5 years) and 140 controls with higher sickness absence (>1.5%), randomly selected from the source population (n = 636) in workplace clusters (n = 5), were studied. Questionnaire data on functioning, musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and disability, work ability and wellbeing were collected (response rate 65%) during December 2012–January 2013. 183 employees (mean age 48.5; females 32%) participated. Differences between cases and controls were studied with t- and Mann–Whitney tests and between age groups with Kruskal–Wallis tests. Associations between dependent and independent variables were studied using linear and logistic regression.

Results: The sickness absence groups showed no statistically significant difference in MSD prevalence, although the lower sickness absence group reported less musculoskeletal disability than controls (p<.001). Across all participants, a low prevalence of MSD was explained by good work ability (p<.001) and high maximal oxygen consumption (p = .045). Lower musculoskeletal disability in the lower sickness absence group was explained by high psychological resources (OR =0.58) and in controls by good work ability (OR =0.03) and sedentary work (OR =0.08)

Conclusion: Employee heterogeneity is important issue when seeking to minimise prevalence of musculoskeletal disability or sickness absence or their interaction.

Keywords:

• musculoskeletal disorders
• musculoskeletal disability
• forest industry
• sickness absence
• working aged

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Arja Piirainen (PhD) for her advice during the drafting of the manuscript and Mr Michael Freeman for checking the language of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no declarations of interest.