BACK PAIN AND PERIPHERAL JOINT PAIN IN AN INDUSTRIAL-SETTING

Objective: To develop a self-reported low back pain (LBP) questionnair e and assess its usefulness in (I)describing the incidence of LBP in a n industrial setting, compared to medical records and workers' compens ation statistics; and (2) targeting specific work sites where the leve ls and patterns of pain suggest a need for specific intervention. Desi gn: Survey data used from questionnaires, company medical records, and workers' compensation statistics. Setting: Industrial work site: airc raft engine factory. Participants: All employees (n = 306). Interventi ons: Questionnaire data, including LBP history, demographics, and body pain diagram scores, were compared to medical records and workers' co mpensation data over a 1-year period. The body pain diagram quantified on a scale of 0 to 10 the subjective level of pain ''at the end of an average shift'' for six body regions. Main Outcome Measures: Pain dia gram scores for different body regions were compared using Pearson Pro duct correlations. Intercorrelations of body region pain scores were e xamined by factor analysis. Differences in mean LBP scores according t o history and demographics were compared using paired t tests and ANOV A (p = .05). Results: The 1-year incidence of LBP by questionnaire was 69.3%. Occupational Health records revealed only 27% of the same work force formally complained of LBP, while only 2.3% of the workforce los t time from work because of LBP. A clinically significant level of LBP was reported by 41% of respondents. Their level of LBP was not relate d to history of LBP, age, height, weight, smoking history, or amount o f time in their job. Their level of LBP was somewhat related to their level of neck and peripheral joint pain. Conclusions: This questionnai re appears to be potentially useful in (1) identifying workers who are symptomatic at an early stage of their LBP problem; and (2) identifyi ng pain patterns in different areas of the plant. (C) by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physic al Medicine and Rehabilitation