Occupation and risk for the occurrence of low-back pain (LBP) in Danish employees

Using data from a nation-wide cross-sectional survey in 1990 a study examining the risk for occurrence of LBP in various specific occupations was made among 5,185 Danish employees aged 19-59 years old. After adjusting for the confounding effects of age and gender we found significantly increased risks of LBP in three out of nine major occupational categories. They were 'health care and social work' (OR = 1.52, 95% Cl = 1.28-1.80), 'mining, quarrying and construction work' (OR = 1.97, 95% Cl = 1.41-2.74) and 'manufacturing and machine operation work' (OR = 1.21, 95% Cl = 1.05-1.40). Among 39 second-level occupational categories the highest risks were observed among persons employed in 'building construction work' (OR = 1.97, 95% Cl = 1.41-2.74), 'social work, child day care work and psychological work' (OR = 1.64, 95% Cl = 1.32-2.05). Skilled and unskilled manual workers had an increased risk of LBP.