THE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND PERSONALITY IN THE INCIDENCE OF SCIATIC PAIN AMONG WORKING MEN

Objectives. The role of personality characteristics and psychological distress in the incidence of sciatic pain was investigated in a 3-year prospective study. Methods. The study population consisted of 1149 Fi nnish men and 25 through 49 years (387 machine operators, 336 carpente rs, and 426 office workers) with no history of sciatic pain at the beg inning of follow-up. The psychological distress and personality charac teristics were assessed by the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire and th e Maudsley Personality Inventory. Results. The 3-year cumulative incid ence rate for sciatic pain was 22% among the machine operators, 24% am ong the carpenters, and 14% among the office workers. The multivariate analysis of psychological factors, taking into account individual and occupational factors, showed that only hysteria was significantly ass ociated with the incidence of sciatic pain among the blue-collar worke rs. Among the white-collar workers, none of the psychological dimensio ns were associated with sciatic pain. Conclusions. These results are i n accordance with previous relationships found between hysteria and lo w-back disorders. Further follow-up investigations are needed to eluci date the role of psychological factors in the occurrence of back probl ems.