abstract
Low back pain (LBP) remains the most common work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD). While
most of the LBP research has focused on occupational risk factors, other underlying causal mechanisms
may exist since not all workers performing the same task develop an injury. Previous research has
identified three primary risk factor categories for LBP (occupational, personal and psychosocial factors);
however, few studies have investigated the impact of cross categorical risk factor interactions on LBP. The
objective of this study was to investigate the effects of occupational, personal and psychosocial factors,
and their interactions, on LBP severity in a population of workers currently suffering from LBP. Sixty LBP
patients recruited for the study through local physicians and local announcements, completed questionnaires
relating to identified occupational, personal and psychosocial risk factors, and completed an
Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Multiple regression models for predicting LBP severity were developed
for each risk factor category and for a combined risk factor model (which included factors from all three
risk factor categories) that included two-way interactions. Results showed that the final model consisted
of both main effects and interaction terms between risk factor categories and had an adjusted R2 value of
0.85, a significant improvement over models developed for the individual categories. These findings
illustrate the need to consider all three broad categories of risk factors simultaneously in predicting
injury status and in developing effective potential intervention efforts.
Relevance to industry: Personal and psychosocial factors and interactions, in addition to occupational
factors, may be needed to be taken into account when designing future prevention strategies for persons
in jobs with high risks for low back pain. The factors identified here may also be used to develop
a predictive model for pain severity in workers.