Abstract
The influence of pain catastrophizing, kinesiophobia and fear-avoidance attitudes towards non-specific low-back pain has been scarcely studied in an occupational insurance provider context. The objective of this work is to ascertain the relationship between these psychosocial variables with work absence, its duration and the disability of subjects with work-related low back pain. This is a descriptive observational methodological strategy. All patients with work-related non-specific low back pain who attended to an occupational health hospital during the study period were included consecutively. Clinical variables of kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing, fear-avoidance attitudes, disability and pain were collected; sociodemographic variables of sex, age, type of work, educational level, occupational status and duration in days of work absence were recorded. Kinesiophobia (b = 1.43, P = 0.011, r = 0.333), fear-avoidance beliefs in its global dimension (b = 0.910, P = 0.014, r = 0.321), fear-avoidance beliefs in its work dimension (b = 1.255, P = 0.016, r = 0.321) and pain catastrophizing (b = 0.997, P = 0.013, r = 0.340) show individual association with the duration of sickness absence. Kinesiophobia (b = 0.821, P = 0.011, r = 0.30) and fear-avoidance beliefs (b = 1.760, P = 0.016, r = 0.28) are associated with disability (Kinesiophobia, b = 0.880, P = 0.045, r = 0.26; Fear-avoidance beliefs, b = 0.724, P = 0.010, r = 0.34). Kinesiophobia, fear-avoidance beliefs and pain catastrophizing are related to an increase in the duration of work absence and disability in patients with back pain in an occupational insurance provider context.
Highlights
In recent years, the incidence of low back pain (LBP) has risen globally [1, 2]
Work-related LBP usually resulted in sickness absence, with 68.2% of the subjects being in a sickness absence status for at least one day compared to 31.8% who reported to work in spite of their condition
The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between the psychosocial variables of kinesiophobia, fear-avoidance beliefs and pain catastrophizing on sickness absence status and its duration, as well as on the disability declared in first attendance in a context of workrelated non-specific LBP in a specific occupational insurance provider
Summary
The incidence of low back pain (LBP) has risen globally [1, 2]. The LBP is the main cause of disability. Predictors work-related low-back pain sickness absence due to work accidents [7], leading to increased health and social costs, as well as a considerable absenteeism due to occupational causes. 37% of LBP prevalence could be attributed to factors related to the working environment [8]. Conditions of an occupational nature such as mechanical work, bending and twisting postures, vibrations or lifting weights [9, 10]; job satisfaction, social coverage or high physical demand in the workplace are associated with a higher incidence of LBP and would influence its prognosis [9, 11]. Interventions that impact on these factors have been shown to be effective in order to reduce the time to return to work, improve pain and disability in work contexts [12, 13]
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