Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Aug 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Occup Environ Med. 2015 Aug;57(8):910–928. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000501

Table III.

Risk Factors for “Pain in Arms” (Frequency Counts and Odds Ratios)

Outcome Measures/Risk Factors Pain in Arms Pain in Arms

n=number of interviewees* Yes Freq (%) OR (95% CI)

Individual Factors 2002 2006 2010 2002 2006 2010 2002 2006 2010

Age
Compared with age 18-24
18-24 n=127 n=127 n=71 29(22.8%) 33(26.0%) 13(18.3%)
25-34 n=390 n=365 n=241 97(24.9%) 76 (20.7%) 57(23.7%) 1.12(0.70-1.80) 0.75(0.47-1.20) 1.38(0.71-2.70)
35-44 n=376 n=402 n=254 107(28.5%) 118(29.4%) 70(23.6%) 1.34(0.84-2.15) 1.18(0.75-1.86) 1.70(0.88-3.29)
45-54 n=346 n=397 n=253 111(32.0%) 124(31.2%) 63(27.6%) 1.60(0.99-2.56) 1.29(0.83-2.21) 1.99(1.03-3.84)
55-64 n=182 n=212 n=170 57(31.3%) 67(31.6%) 57(33.5%) 1.54(0.92-2.59) 1.32(0.81-2.15) 2.25(1.14-4.45)
> 65 n=37 n=49 n=53 10(27.0%) 13(23.5%) 13(24.5%) 1.25(0.54-2.89) 1.25(0.54-2.89) 1.45(0.61-3.45)

Gender Compared with male

Male n=769 n=771 n=503 213(27.7%) 199(26.7%) 122(24.3%)
Female n=695 n=781 n=540 201(28.9%) 232(29.6%) 166(30.7%) 1.06(0.85-1.33) 1.22(0.97-1.52) 1.39(1.05-1.82)

Hurt at Work (# times hurt at work last year)
Compared with 0 times.
0 times n=1299 n=1369 n=938 324(24.9%) 336(24.5%) 238(25.4%)
1 time n=106 n=112 n=61 56(52.8%) 56(50.0%) 26(42.6%) 3.37(2.25-5.03) 3.07(2.08-4.45) 2.19(1.29-3.71)
2 times n=17 n=40 n=20 10(58.8%) 24(60.0%) 8(40.0%) 4.30(1.62-11.37) 4.61(2.42-8.79) 1.96(0.79-4.86)
=> 3 times n=37 n=31 n=21 20(54.0%) 15(48.4%) 13(61.2%) 3.54(1.83-6.83) 2.88(1.41-5.89) 4.78(1.96-11.67)

Physical Health (How many days during the past 30 days was your physical health not good?)
Compared with 0-13 days.
0 - 13 days n=1482 n=1449 n=958 399(26.9%) 382(26.4%) 233(24.3%)
≥ 14 days n=103 n=89 n=78 48(46.6%) 47(52.8%) 51(65.4%) 2.37(1.58-3.55) 3.13(2.03-4.82 5.88(3.60-9.59)

Mental Health (How many days during the past 30 days was your mental health not good?)
Compared with 0-13 days.
0 - 13 days n=1395 n=1414 n=922 366(26.2%) 367(26.0%) 227(24.6%)
≥ 14 days n=187 n=122 n=112 80(42.8%) 61(50.0%) 56(50.0%) 2.10(1.54-2.88) 2.85(1.96-4.15) 3.06(2.05-4.57)

Health Days (How many days during past 30 days did your poor mental or physical health affect usual activities?)
Compared with 0-13 days.
0 - 13 days n=1520 n=1494 n=955 414(27.2%) 406(27.2%) 256(25.7%)
≥ 14 days n=66 n=46 n=42 34(51.5%) 23(60.1%) 28(66.7%) 2.84(1.73-4.66) 2.68(1.49-4.83) 5.77(2.99-11.14)

Physical Factors 2002 2006 2010 2002 2006 2010 2002 2006 2010

Heavy Lifting (Job requires repeated lifting pulling or pushing?)
Yes vs. No
No n=794 n=832 n=553 285(35.9%) 183(22.0%) 127(23.0%)
Yes n=671 n=716 n=489 229(34.1%) 248(33.6%) 161(34.6%) 1.70(1.35-2.14) 1.88(1.50-2.35) 1.65(1.25-2.16)

Hand Movement (Job requires repetitive, or stressful hand movements or awkward postures)
Yes vs. No
No n=714 n=783 n=557 138(13.9%) 132(16.9%) 101(18.1%) 2.42(1.91-3.07) 3.16(2.49-4.00) 2.83(2.14-3.76)
Yes n=751 n=766 n=485 276(36.8%) 299(39.0%) 187(38.6%)

Physical Effort (Please rate the overall physical effort at the job you normally do) Compared with very light

Very Light n=264 53(20.1%)
Fairly light n=295 67(22.7%) 1.17(0.78-1.76)
Somewhat hard n=262 64(24.4%) 1.29(0.85-1.94)
Hard n=121 46(38.0%) 2.44(1.52-3.93)
Very Hard n=98 57(58.2%) 5.54(3.35-9.14)

Psychosocial Factors 2002 2006 2010 2002 2006 2010 2002 2006 2010

Job Satisfaction (How satisfied with job?) Compared with very satisfied.

Very satisfied n=721 n=700 n=461 16 22.3%) 161(23.0%) 116(25.2%)
Somewhat satisfied n=580 n=708 n=463 177(30.5%) 216((30.5%) 123(26.6%) 1.53(1.19-1.96) 1.47(1.16-1.86) 1.08(0.80-1.45)
Not too satisfied n=113 n=197 n=84 5(44.3%) 36(37.1%) 35(41.7%) 2.76(1.83-4.16) 1.98(1.26-3.09) 2.13(1.31-3.44)
Not at all satisfied n=48 n=46 n=35 23(47.9%) 18(39.1%) 14(40.0%) 3.20(1.77-5.79) 2.15(1.16-3.99) 1.98(0.98-4.03)

Work Freedom (Freedom to decide how to do my own work) Compared with not at all true.

Not at all true n=66 n=61 n=46 27(40.9%) 25(41.0%) 19(41.3%)
Not too true n=118 n=144 n=84 40(33.9%) 48(33.3%) 28(33.3%) 0.74(0.40-1.14) 0.72(0.39-1.33) 0.71(0.34-1.49)
Somewhat true n=453 n=482 n=334 137(30.2%) 145(30.1%) 90(27.0%) 0.63(0.37-1.07) 0.62(0.36-1.07) 0.52(0.28-0.99)
Very true n=825 n=849 n=578 209(25.3%) 212(25.0%) 151(26.1%) 0.49(0.29-0.82) 0.48(0.28-0.82) 0.50(0.27-0.93)

Supervisor Support Compared with very true.

Very true n=523 n=539 n=379 136(261%) 114(21.2%) 92(24.3%)
Somewhat true n=614 n=641 n=422 156(25.4%) 182(28.4%) 102(24.2%) 0.97(0.74-1.27) 1.48(1.13-1.93) 0.99(0.72-1.37)
Not too true n=196 n=220 n=163 67(34.2%) 88(40.0%) 68(41.3%) 1.48(1.04-2.11) 2.49(1.77-3.49) 2.23(1.51-3.30)
Not at all true n=102 n=91 n=56 45(44.1%) 33(36.3%) 22(39.3%) 2.25(1.45-3.48) 2.12(1.32-3.41) 2.02(1.12-3.63)

Work Time (Enough time to get job done.) Compared with very true.

Very true n=607 n=593 n=405 150(24.7%) 144(24.3%) 99(24.4%)
Somewhat true n=580 n=671 n=459 167(28.8%) 182(27.1%) 131(28.5%) 1.23(0.95-1.59) 1.16(0.90-1.50) 1.23(0.91-1.67)
Not too true n=169 n=193 n=121 50(39.6%) 72(37.3%) 39(32.3%) 1.28(0.88-1.87) 1.86(1.31-2.63) 1.47(0.94-2.29)
Not at all true n=105 n=79 n=56 46(43.8%) 30(38.0%) 19(33.9%) 2.38(1.55-3.64) 1.91(1.17-3.12) 1.59(0.87-2.89)

Work Fast (Job requires I work fast.) Compared with strongly disagree.

Strongly Disagree n=48 n=57 n=29 11(22.9%) 19(33.3%) 7(24.1%)
Disagree n=477 n=443 n=300 127(26.6%) 109(24.6%) 64(21.3%) 1.24(0.61-2.50) 0.65(0.36-1.18) 0.85(0.35-2.09)
Agree n=619 n=713 n=485 180(29.1%) 190(26.7%) 142(29.3%) 1.38(0.69-2.76) 0.73(0.41-1.29) 1.30(0.54-3.11)
Strongly Agree n=317 n=332 n=226 94(29.7%) 113(34.0%) 75(33.2%) 1.42(0.69-2.90) 1.03(0.57-1.87) 1.56(0.64-3.82)

Work hours (# hours(h) worked last week) Compared with < 40h

≤40h n=746 n=837 n=583 267(29.6%) 225(26.8%) 152(26.0%)
41-50h n=402 n=377 n=261 111(27.6%) 109(28.9%) 75(28.7%) 0.91(0.69-1.19) 1.11(0.84-1.45) 1.14(0.83-1.58)
51-60h n=188 n=207 n=129 37(19.7%) 61(29.5%) 32(24.8%) 0.58(0.39-0.86) 1.14(0.81-1.59) 0.94(0.60-1.45)
61-70h n=69 n=60 n=40 21(30.4%) 15(25.0%) 17(42.5%) 1.04(0.61-1.78) 0.91(0.50-1.66) 2.10(1.09-4.01)
>71h n=55 n=71 n=30 23(41.1%) 21(29.6%) 12(40.0%) 1.71(0.98-2.98) 1.14 (0.67-1.95) 1.89(0.89-4.02)

Must Work (Mandatory to work extra hours.) yes vs. no

No n=1041 n=1100 n=724 267(25.7%) 289(26.2%) 200(27.6%)
Yes n=411 n=429 n=303 143(34.8%) 138(32.2%) 86(28.4%) 1.55(1.21-1.99) 1.33(1.04-1.70) 1.04(0.77-1.40)

Safety climate Compared with strongly agree.

Strongly agree n=504 n= 821 n=527 136(27.0%) 197(24.0%) 125(23.7%)
Agree n=712 n=578 n=414 181(25.4%) 172(29.8%) 112(27.1%) 0.92(0.71-1.20) 1.34(1.06-1.71) 1.19(0.89-1.60)
Disagree n=179 n=89 n=58 68(38.0%) 35(39.3%) 26(44.8%) 1.66(1.16-2.38) 2.05(1.30-3.24) 2.61(1.50-4.55)
Strongly disagree n=65 n=51 n=41 26(40.0%) 25(49.0%) 25(70.0%) 1.80(1.06-3.08) 3.05(1.72-5.39) 5.03(2.60-9.71)

Work Stress (How often is work stressful?) Compared with never.

Never n=88 n=80 n=59 22(25.0%) 12(15.0%) 10(17.0%)
Hardly ever n=255 n=254 n=178 55(21.6%) 53(20.1%) 30(16.9%) 0.83(0.47-1.46) 1.49(0.75-2.96) 0.99(0.45-2.18)
Sometimes n=622 n=694 n=437 143(23.0% 176(25.4%) 116(26.5%) 0.90(0.54-1.51) 1.93(1.02-3.64) 1.77(0.87-3.61)
Often n=350 n=347 n=266 125(35.7%) 110(31.7%) 81(30.5%) 1.67(0.98-2.83) 2.63(1.37-5.06) 2.15(1.04-4.45)
Always n=148 n=174 n=103 68 (46.0%) 80(46.0%) 51(49.5%) 2.55(1.43-4.56) 4.82(2.44-9.54) 4.81(2.20-10.51)

Work Schedule Compared with day shift.

Day Shift n=1078 n=1167 n=781 304(28.2%) 320(27.4%) 206(26.2%)
Afternoon Shift n=53 n=55 n=49 14(26.4%) 20(36.4%) 16(33.3%) 0.91(0.489-1.705) 1.51(0.86-2.66) 1.35(0.73-2.51)
Night Shift n=94 n=92 n=54 24(25.5%) 27(29.4%) 19(35.2%) 0.87(0.538-1.412) 1.10(0.69-1.75) 1.52(0.85-2.71)
Split Shift n=38 n=29 n=28 11(29.0%) 11(38.0%) 7(25.0%) 1.04(0.508-2.115) 1.62(0.76-3.46) 0.93(0.39-2.22)
Irreg./on call n=124 n=129 n=83 39(31.5%) 37(28.7%) 25(30.1%) 1.17(0.781-1.743) 1.07(0.71-1.59) 1.20(0.73-1.97)
Rotating Shift n=73 n=74 n=44 19(26.0%) 15(20.3%) 15(34.1%) 0.99(0.522-1.534) 0.67(0.38-1.20) 1.44 (0.76-2.75)

Dichotomized Variables 2002 2006 2010 2002 2006 2010 2002 2006 2010

Job Satisfaction (Are you satisfied with your job?) Yes vs. No

Yes n=1301 n=1408 n=924 341(26.2%) 377(26.8%) 239(25.9%)
No n=161 n=143 n=119 72(44.7%) 54(37.8%) 49(41.2%) 2.28(1.63-3.18) 1.66(1.16-2.37) 2.01(1.35-2.98)

Safety Climate (Are safety conditions good at work?) Yes vs. No

No n=244 n=140 n=99 94(38.5%) 60(40.0%) 51(51.5%)
Yes n=1217 n=1399 n=941 320(26.3%) 369(26.2%) 237(25.2%) 0.56(0.42-0.75) 0.48(0.34-0.68) 0.32(0.21-0.48)

Work Stress (How often is work stressful?) Yes vs. No

No 3,4,5 n=965 n=1028 n=674 220(22.8%) 241(23.4%) 156(23.2%)
Yes 1,2 n=498 n=521 n=369 193(38.8%) 290(36.5%) 132(35.8%) 2.14(1.69-2.71) 1.88(1.49-2.36) 1.85(1.40-2.44)

Work Fast (Does the job require that I work fast?) Yes vs. No

No n=525 n=501 n=329 139(26.5%) 128(25.6%) 71(21.6%)
Yes n=936 n=1045 n=711 274(29.3%) 307(29.0%) 217(30.5%) 1.15(0.90-1.46) 1.19(0.94-1.52) 1.60(1.17-2.17)

Work Time (Is there enough time to get the job done?) Yes vs. No

No n=275 n=272 n=177 96(34.0%) 102(37.5%) 58(32.8%)
Yes n=1187 n=1264 n=864 317(26.7%) 326(25.8%) 230(26.6%) 0.68(0.51-0.89) 0.58(0.44-0.76) 0.74(0.53-1.05)

Risk Factor Combinations 2002 2006 2010 2002 2006 2010 2002 2006 2010

Heavy Lifting and Work Stress 3,4,5 Compared with No-No

No-No
No-Yes n=517 n=554 n=354 94(18.2%) 110(19.9%) 63(17.8%) 2.20(1.57-3.07) 1.44(1.02-2.02) 1.77(1.18-2.65)
Yes-No n=277 n=278 n=199 91(32.0%) 73(26.3%) 58(29.2%) 1.76(1.30-2.38) 1.55(1.16-2.07) 1.60(1.12-2.30)
Yes-Yes n=448 n=473 n=319 126(28.1%) 131(27.7%) 85(26.7%) 3.85(2.77-5.44) 3.78(2.75-5.24) 3.17(2.12-4.74)
Interaction n=221 n=242 n=170 102(46.2%) 117(48.4%) 63(37.1%) 1.00(0.62-1.60) 1.70(1.07-2.72) 1.12(0.64-1.95)

Heavy Lifting and Work Fast Compared with No-No

No-No
No-Yes n=305 n=284 n=178 64(21.0%) 61(21.3%) 38(21.4%) 1.24(0.88-1.74) 1.06(0.75-1.50) 1.16(0.75-1.78)
Yes-No n=488 n=544 n=372 121(24.8%) 122(22.4%) 89(23.9%) 1.94(1.31-2.87) 1.69(1.10-2.46) 1.03(0.61-1.75)
Yes-Yes n=220 n=216 n=151 75(34.1%) 67(31.0%) 33(21.9%) 1.94(1.39-2.28) 2.07(1.48-2.91) 2.25(1.48-3.42)
Interaction n=448 n=500 n=338 153(34.2%) 181(36.2%) 128(37.9%) 0.81(0.50-1.32) 1.19(0.73-1.94) 1.88(1.01-3.49)

Heavy Lifting and Work Time Compared with No-Yes

No-Yes
No-No n=636 n=671 n=372 137(21.5%) 137(20.4%) 89(23.4%) 1.63(1.11-2.41) 1.52(1.02-2.27) 1.22(0.74-2.02)
Yes-Yes n=155 n=153 n=178 48(31.0%) 43(28.1% 38(21.4%) 1.89(1.46-2.45) 1.82(1.41-2.35) 1.60(1.18-2.17)
Yes-No n=551 n=593 n=338 180(32.7%) 189(31.9%) 128(37.9%) 2.98(1.98-4.48) 3.90(2.60-5.85) 2.48(3.50-7.98)
Interaction n=119 n=118 n=151 48(40.3%) 59(50.0%) 33(21.9%) 0.85(0.48-1.49) 1.40(0.80-2.47) 0.97(0.55-1.74)

Hand Movement and Work Stress 3,4,5 Compared with No-No

No-No
No-Yes n=491 n=544 n=366 81(16.5%) 83(15.3%) 54(15.0%) 1.73(1.18-2.55) 1.44(0.97-2.13) 1.89(1.22-2.92)
Yes-No n=223 n=238 n=191 57(25.6%) 49(20.6%) 47(24.6%) 2.10(1.54-2.86) 2.69(1.99-3.64) 2.88(1.98-4.18)
Yes-Yes n=474 n=484 n=307 139(29.3% 158(32.6%) 102(33.2%) 4.94(3.53-6.91) 5.55(3.99-7.73) 5.28(2.07-4.73)
Interaction n=275 n=282 n=178 136(49.5) 141(50.0%) 85(47.8%) 1.36(0.83-2.23) 1.43(0.87-2.66) 0.66(0.37-1.17)

Hand Movement and Work Fast Compared with No-No

No-No
No-Yes n=301 n=285 n=193 56(18.6%) 49(17.2%) 28(14.5%) 1.08(0.74-1.58) 0.97(0.66-1.43) 1.49(0.93-2.40)
Yes-No n=412 n=494 n=361 82(19.9%) 83(16.8%) 73(20.2%) 2.57(1.72-3.82) 2.80(1.85-4.23) 2.73(1.59-4.67)
Yes-Yes n=224 n=215 n=136 83(37.1%) 79(36.7%) 43(31.6%) 2.52(1.79-3.54) 3.20(2.25-4.55) 4.14(2.63-6.52)
Interaction n=524 n=551 n=349 192(36.6%) 220(39.9%) 144(41.3%) 0.91(0.55-1.49) 1.18(0.71-1.95) 1.02(0.54-1.92)

Hand Movement and Work Time Compared with No-Yes

No-Yes
No-No n=586 n=652 n=474 106(18.1%) 105(16.1%) 88(18.6%) 1.56(0.99-2.45) 1.33(0.82-2.16) 0.82(0.44-1.56)
Yes-Yes n=125 n=123 n=82 32(25.6%) 25(20.3%) 13(15.6%) 2.45(1.87-3.31) 2.94(2.26-3.84) 2.52(1.85-3.44)
Yes-No n=601 n=612 n=389 211(35.1%) 221(36.1%) 142(36.5%) 2.41(2.32-5.02) 5.57(3.80-8.17) 3.95(2.48-6.28)
Interaction n=149 n=149 n=95 64(43.0%) 77(51.7%) 45(47.4%) 0.89(0.50-1.60) 1.42(0.78-2.61) 1.89(0.87-4.14)

Physical Effort 3,4,5 and Work Stress 3,4,5 Compared with No-No

No-No
No-Yes n=365 62(17.0%) 2.08(1.38-3.14)
Yes-No n=194 58(30.0%) 2.13(1.48-3.08)
Yes-Yes n=306 93(30.1%) 3.58(2.39-5.37)
Interaction n=175 74(42.3%) 0.81(0.46-1.42)

Physical Effort 3,4,5 and Work Fast Compared with No-No

No-No n=178 32(18.0%)
No-Yes n=372 89(23.9%) 1.45(0.92-2.31)
Yes-No n=151 32(21.2%) 1.72(0.99-2.97)
Yes-Yes n=338 116(34.3%) 3.05(1.95-4.78)
Interaction 1.22 (0.64-2.33)

Physical Effort 3,4,5 and Work Time Compared with No-Yes

No-Yes n=474 97(20.5%)
No-No n=82 16(19.5%) 1.24(0.75-2.06)
Yes-Yes n=389 121(31.1%) 1.90(1.12-3.20)
Yes-No n=95 35(36.8%) 1.58(1.16-2.15)
Interaction 0.97(0.47-2.00)
*

Number of interviewees with usable data.