Recommendations are based on low to moderate quality evidence or on consensus, but are well aligned with recommendations from international guidelines. The guideline working groups recommend that research efforts in relation to all aspects of management of LBP and LR be intensified.

ObjectiveTo estimate the extent of early retirement and to examine risk factors for voluntary early retirement and disability pension in a cohort of nurses’ aides.DesignRegister study including baseline questionnaire and register data covering all transfer incomes from 1991 to 2008 in a cohort of nurses’ aides established in 1993 with a follow-up period of 15 years.SettingNurses’ aides working in nursery homes, homecare or hospitals.Participants3332 gainfully employed nurses’ aides at the time of inclusion in the study.OutcomeDisability pension or early voluntary retirement.Results16.2% of the population was granted disability pension and 27.1% entered early voluntary retirement in the follow-up period representing 11 186 lost working years with a direct cost in transfer payment amounting about €410 million. Health-related risk factors for disability pension was long-lasting low-back pain (HR 2.27(95% CI 1.55 to 3.34), sick leave because of upper-extremity disorders (HR 2.18 (95% CI 1.08 to 2.11), and inflammatory rheumatic disease (HR 2.42 (95% CI 1.67 to 3.52)). Of non-health-related factors, low education, workers compensation case, evening work and high-rated perceived exertion at work all were minor risk factors for disability pension. The primary risk factor for early voluntary retirement was low education (HR 3.19 (95% CI 2.65 to 3.85)).Conclusions43.3% of nurses’ aides gainfully employed in 1993 retired before due time during the follow-up period. Work-related factors at baseline only seemed to have a minor prognostic role. Risk factors for disability pension were mainly health-related factors, whereas economical factors seemed to influence the decision to choose early voluntary retirement. The number of persons and the amount of lost working years underscores the need of a more active counselling towards maintaining employment especially among those with persistent musculoskeletal disorders.

BackgroundWhen conducting large scale epidemiologic studies, it is a challenge to obtain quantitative exposure estimates, which do not rely on self-report where estimates may be influenced by symptoms and knowledge of disease status. In this study we developed a job exposure matrix (JEM) for use in population studies of the work-relatedness of hip and knee osteoarthritis.MethodsBased on all 2227 occupational titles in the Danish version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (D-ISCO 88), we constructed 121 job groups comprising occupational titles with expected homogeneous exposure patterns in addition to a minimally exposed job group, which was not included in the JEM. The job groups were allocated the mean value of five experts’ ratings of daily duration (hours/day) of standing/walking, kneeling/squatting, and whole-body vibration as well as total load lifted (kg/day), and frequency of lifting loads weighing ≥20 kg (times/day). Weighted kappa statistics were used to evaluate inter-rater agreement on rankings of the job groups for four of these exposures (whole-body vibration could not be evaluated due to few exposed job groups). Two external experts checked the face validity of the rankings of the mean values.ResultsA JEM was constructed and English ISCO codes were provided where possible. The experts’ ratings showed fair to moderate agreement with respect to rankings of the job groups (mean weighted kappa values between 0.36 and 0.49). The external experts agreed on 586 of the 605 rankings.ConclusionThe Lower Body JEM based on experts’ ratings was established. Experts agreed on rankings of the job groups, and rankings based on mean values were in accordance with the opinion of external experts.