Work-related psychosocial factors and chronic pain: a prospective cohort study in Canadian workers

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether organizational and psychosocial aspects of work experience affect the risk of chronic pain conditions.

Methods: We used longitudinal data from the National Population Health Survey in Canada (n = 6571). The data were analyzed using the Cox model.

Results: Work-related stress was a risk factor for developing chronic pain or discomfort. The relative risk was 1.39 (95% CI = 1.01-1.91) for medium stress and 1.80 (95% CI = 1.28-2.52) for high stress. High psychological demands and low skill discretion were independently associated with pain/discomfort. There was no association between psychosocial factors at work and physician-diagnosed chronic back problems, arthritis, or migraine headaches.

Conclusions: Work-related stress is a significant risk factor for nonspecific complaints of pain or discomfort among workers.