DISABILITY PENSIONS DUE TO MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AMONG MEN IN HEAVY OCCUPATIONS - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

The relative risk of disability pension due to musculo-skeletal disord ers has been studied with regard to occupation and work load. The stud y population comprised men born 1915 to 1934, living in Stockholm coun ty. 1307 men who received a disability pension during 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1984 due to disorders from the low back, neck/shoulder, hip, and knee were compared with 298 randomly selected men concerning occupatio n and occupational work load. Disability pensions were more common bot h in men with medium and high physical work load compared to men with low physical work load. Construction workers and metal workers had a h igh relative risks of receiving disability pensions because of disorde rs in all four body regions, and men in many other occupations had dis orders in two or three regions. In office workers the risk of disabili ty pension because of musculo-skeletal disorders was low.