Table 2.
Full model hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of incident sciatica.
| Characteristic | HR | 95% CI | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 0.59 | 0.47–0.73 | <0.001 |
| Sex, women vs. men | 0.87 | 0.57–1.35 | 0.54 |
| BMI (Ref. group: > 25 kg/m2) | |||
| 25–29.9 | 1.13 | 0.75–1.70 | |
| ≥30 | 1.39 | 0.78–2.48 | 0.53 |
| Smoking (Ref. group: never) | |||
| Past | 1.20 | 0.73–1.98 | |
| Current | 1.49 | 0.97–2.28 | 0.19 |
| Educational level (Ref. group: < 8 years) | |||
| 8–12 years | 1.16 | 0.76–1.75 | 0.30 |
| >12 years | 0.72 | 0.39–1.34 | |
| Sedentary work involving handling fairly heavy objects/physically light work | 1.57 | 1.05–2.34 | 0.03 |
| Heavy/very heavy work | 0.48 | 0.26–0.89 | 0.02 |
| Lifting | 2.10 | 1.35–3.26 | 0.001 |
| Awkward trunk postures | 0.68 | 0.43–1.03 | 0.06 |
| Prolonged sitting | 1.14 | 0.76–1.71 | 0.54 |
| Exposure to whole-body vibration | 1.61 | 0.95–2.72 | 0.08 |
In the model, age is continuous (HR per one SD, 8.4 years of age). All risk factors are dichotomized except for Body Mass Index (BMI) and smoking. Mini-Finland Health Survey 1978–80. Follow-up via Care Register for Health Care until 2011.