The Effects of Low Back Pain on the Perception of Job Demands

Abstract

Patients self-reports on job demands may be used in primary and secondary prevention. This study investigated the relationship between job demands rated by employees on sick leave due to acute/ sub-acute low back pain, active coworkers and supervisors. A 25-item questionnaire assessed exposure to physical and organizational job characteristics. A convenience sample from employees of public transportation and utility companies yielded 63 matched job profiles. The analysis examined agreement on rating of questionnaire items and job profiles.*** Test-retest studies showed that patients and non-patients were consistent in their rating (kappa 0.32–0.93). However, the raters assessed the job demands differently (ri 0.01–0.74). The differences among the raters were significant in 72% of the questionnaire items. Symptomatic individuals rated their jobs as being more demanding compared to their supervisors; workers' scores fall in between the two. This suggests that the non-specific low back pain influences the assessment of job demands even in the early stages of the experience. The questionnaire apparently measures perceptions rather than accurate exposure, rendering it useful in secondary prevention.