HEALTHY LOWER BACKS IN THE CONSTRUCTION-INDUSTRY IN SWEDEN

This cross-sectional study examines the relationship between healthy l ower backs and psychosocial and Physical factors in a random sample of 1773 male construction workers. Information on lower back status, lif estyle habits, stress, psychosomatic and psychological symptoms, psych osocial demands and resources and physical workload were collected by means of a postal questionnaire. Measures of psychosocial and physical factors were based on factor analysis of the data. The criterion vari able 'healthy lower back' (HLB)-no lifetime history of low back pain-p roved to be valid compared with an interview and a physical examinatio n. A total of 216 workers (12%) reported HLB. The prevalence rate decr eased significantly with increasing age. The prevalence rate of HLB wa s 6% among workers reporting high stress levels. It was positively inf luenced when there was a balance between demands and resources. A low level of physical workload also increased the prevalence rate of HLB. When age, lifestyle and physical factors were kept constant in a multi variate analysis high scores on the discretion index and low scores on the psychosomatic, psychological and stress indices contributed signi ficantly to an increased prevalence rate of HLB.