Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
Knowledge Information and Research Center, Group Idewe, Leuven, Belgium.
BMJ Open. 2024 Aug 12;14(8):e082804. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-082804.
Studies usually investigate a limited number or a predefined combinations of risk factors for sickness absence in employees with pain. We examined frequently occurring combinations across a wide range of work-related factors and pain perceptions.
Cross-sectional study.
Belgian companies that are under supervision of IDEWE, an external service for prevention and protection at work.
In total, 249 employees experiencing pain for at least 6 weeks were included and filled out an online survey.
Latent profile analysis was used to differentiate profiles of work-related factors (physical demands, workload, social support and autonomy) and pain perceptions (catastrophising, fear-avoidance beliefs and pain acceptance). Subsequently, profiles were compared on sociodemographics (age, gender, level of education, work arrangement, duration of complaints, multisite pain and sickness absence in the previous year) and predictors of sickness absence (behavioural intention and perceived behavioural control).
Four profiles were identified. Profile 1 (38.2%) had favourable scores and profile 4 (14.9%) unfavourable scores across all indicators. Profile 2 (33.3%) had relatively high physical demands, moderate autonomy levels and favourable scores on the other indicators. Profile 3 (13.7%) showed relatively low physical demands, moderate autonomy levels, but unfavourable scores on the other indicators. Predictors of profiles were age (OR 0.93 and 95% CI (0.89 to 0.98)), level of education (OR 0.28 and 95% CI (0.1 to 0.79)) and duration of sickness absence in the previous year (OR 2.29 and 95% CI (0.89 to 5.88)). Significant differences were observed in behavioural intention (χ=8.92, p=0.030) and perceived behavioural control (χ=12.37, p=0.006) across the four profiles.
This study highlights the significance of considering the interplay between work-related factors and pain perceptions in employees. Unfavourable scores on a single work factor might not translate into maladaptive pain perceptions or subsequent sickness absence, if mitigating factors are in place. Special attention must be devoted to employees dealing with unfavourable working conditions along with maladaptive pain perceptions. In this context, social support emerges as an important factor influencing sickness absence.
针对患有疼痛的员工，以往的研究通常只针对少数或预先设定的一系列风险因素进行研究。本研究则考察了与工作相关的多种因素和疼痛感知的常见组合。
横断面研究。
隶属于 IDEWE 的比利时公司，该机构是一个外部工作场所预防和保护服务机构。
共纳入 249 名疼痛持续至少 6 周的员工，并填写了在线调查问卷。
采用潜在剖面分析区分与工作相关的因素（体力需求、工作量、社会支持和自主性）和疼痛感知（灾难化、回避信念和疼痛接受）的特征。随后，根据人口统计学特征（年龄、性别、教育程度、工作安排、抱怨持续时间、多部位疼痛和前一年的病假）和病假的预测因素（行为意向和感知行为控制）对特征进行比较。
确定了四个特征。特征 1（38.2%）在所有指标上的得分均较高，而特征 4（14.9%）的得分均较低。特征 2（33.3%）的体力需求较高，自主性水平中等，其他指标得分较高。特征 3（13.7%）的体力需求较低，自主性水平中等，但其他指标得分较低。特征的预测因素为年龄（OR 0.93 和 95%CI（0.89 至 0.98））、教育程度（OR 0.28 和 95%CI（0.1 至 0.79））和前一年病假持续时间（OR 2.29 和 95%CI（0.89 至 5.88））。四个特征在行为意向（χ²=8.92，p=0.030）和感知行为控制（χ²=12.37，p=0.006）方面存在显著差异。
本研究强调了在员工中考虑工作相关因素和疼痛感知相互作用的重要性。如果存在缓解因素，单一工作因素的不利评分可能不会转化为适应不良的疼痛感知或随后的病假。必须特别关注那些面临不利工作条件和适应不良疼痛感知的员工。在这种情况下，社会支持成为影响病假的一个重要因素。
