Presented at the 2013 AAPM Annual Meeting « Back

Predicting Absenteeism in a Working Subpopulation with Chronic Back Pain (CBP)

Pamela Summers, MD MBA MPH, summerpa@evms.edu¹, David Parker, MD MPH² Antonio Quidgley-Nevares, MD¹, (1) Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, (2) Park Nicollet Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Introduction: Nearly 40% of work related absenteeism due to musculoskeletal injury is secondary to back problems. Determining predictive factors for CBP may lower absenteeism and increase productivity. Methods: The 2009 National Health Interview Survey is a population based health survey representing the United States. The subpopulation (N=545) reviewed were those reporting employment in the past 12 months with CBP, low back pain in the past three months, and no neck pain. Data were analyzed for comorbidities (cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer, diabetes, failing kidneys), occupation, lifestyle factors, body mass index (BMI), sadness, and days absent in the past year for illness. Results: Over 14% of individuals with CBP were absent more than the average 10 days of paid sick leave compared to 5% of the remaining population (p<0.0001). There was a significant (p<0.05) higher prevalence of obesity, asthma, sinusitis, chronic bronchitis (CB), and tobacco use. Significant (p < 0.1) individual predictors of absenteeism were asthma, sinusitis, CB, light/moderate physical activity (PA), and BMI. Multivariate analysis revealed chronic bronchitis (p=0.02 OR=2.9) and less PA (p=0.05 OR=0.55) were significant predictors of absenteeism. BMI, asthma, sinusitis, and smoking were not significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: Absent individuals with CBP had higher BMIs and suffered from more respiratory problems. Participation in activity may have been a key factor in decreasing absenteeism as increased activity reduces obesity. Although smoking did not affect absenteeism directly, chronic bronchitis does which is associated with smoking. Smoking cessation may be vital to decrease absenteeism. References: 1) United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Requiring Days Away From Work, 2010. November 09, 2011. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/osh2.nr0.htm. Accessed December 18, 2011. 2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Interview Survey Sample Adult File 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/nhis_2009_data_release.htm. Accessed May 31, 2011. 3) Forey BA, Thornton AJ, Lee PN. Systematic review with meta-analysis of the epidemiological evidence relating smoking to COPD, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. BMC Pulm Med. 2011 Jun 14;11:36.

Funding: None.