Aims: To identify the work factors that predict intense low back pain (LBP) and LBP related sick leaves in nurses' aides. Methods: The sample comprised 4266 randomly selected Norwegian nurses' aides, not bothered or only a little bothered by LBP during the previous three months, and not on sick leave when completing a mailed questionnaire in 1999. Of these, 3808 (89.3%) completed a second questionnaire 3 months later and 3651 (85.6%) completed a third questionnaire 15 months later. Intensity of low back symptoms and certified sick leaves attributed to LBP during the observation period were assessed by self reports at the follow ups. Results: After adjustments for LBP during the three months prior to baseline, baseline health complaints, demographic and familial factors, and a series of physical, psychological, and social work factors, logistic regression analyses revealed the following associations: intense low back symptoms were predicted by frequent positioning of patients in bed, perceived lack of support from immediate superior, and perceived lack of pleasant and relaxing culture in the work unit. LBP related sick leaves were predicted by frequent handling of heavy objects, medium level of work demands, perceived lack of supportive and encouraging culture in the work unit, working night shifts, and working in a nursing home. Long term LBP related sick leaves were associated with changes of work or work tasks during the observation period that resulted in a perceived reduction of support and encouragement at work. Conclusions: Not only frequent mechanical exposures, but also organisational, psychological, and social work factors, such as night shift work, perceived lack of support from superior, and perceived lack of a pleasant and relaxing or supporting and encouraging culture in the work unit, are associated with an increased risk of intense low back symptoms and LBP related sick leaves in nurses' aides. S tudies from around the world have documented the enormous burden of low back pain (LBP) to individuals and society.1 Nurses' aides, doing both emotional and heavy physical work, and being exposed to a combination of mechanical and psychosocial stress at work, are one of the occupational groups that are most frequently affected by LBP. 2-4A large number of studies have explored the relation between work factors and LBP, in both nursing personnel and other occupational groups.5-8 Heavy lifting, frequent twisting and bending, whole body vibration, low social support at work, and low job satisfaction have been consistently associated with the risk of LBP. In most studies, however, the intensity and the functional consequences of the pain were not reported. Hence, it may be difficult to tell whether the identified predictors are predictors of ''humdrum nuisance'' or severe disease.The relation between mechanical exposures at work and the occurrence of LBP related sickness absence was reported in several studies, with a majority of positive associations. The relation of social and psychological work factors to ...

Aims: To identify the work factors that predict sickness absence in nurses' aides. Methods: The sample comprised 5563 Norwegian nurses' aides, not on leave because of illness or pregnancy when they completed a mailed questionnaire in 1999. Of these, 4931 (88.6%) completed a second questionnaire three months later. The outcome measure was the three month incidence proportion of certified sickness absence (>3 days), as assessed by self reports at follow up. Results: Perceived lack of encouraging and supportive culture in the work unit (odds ratio (OR) 1.73; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28 to 2.34), working in psychiatric and paediatric wards, having injured the neck in an accident, and health complaints were associated with higher risk of sickness absence, after adjustments for a series of physical, psychological, and organisational work factors, personal engagement in the work unit, demographic characteristics, and daily consumption of cigarettes. Having untraditional jobs (for nurses' aides) (OR 0.53; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.77), and engaging in aerobics or gym were associated with a lower risk of sickness absence. Conclusions: The study suggests that the three month effects of work factors on rates of certified sickness absence are modest in nurses' aides. The most important work factor, in terms of predicting sickness absence, seems to be perceived lack of encouraging and supportive culture in the work unit.S ickness absence represents a major problem in Western societies.1 The nurses' aides, the main providers of practical patient care in the health service, are one of the occupational groups that exhibit the highest absence rates. 2The reasons for sickness absence are complex.1 3 The causes of an illness may be numerous, and an ill person's ability to work and decision to be absent from work are determined not only by the severity of the health problem, but by a series of social, psychological, and physical factors. It seems likely that working conditions may contribute to illness, and, in case of illness, influence the perception of work ability and the decision to be absent from work. Nurses' aides have to cope with a series of physical and psychological demands at work, including mechanical exposures and frequent social encounters. 5The impact of these challenges on rates of sickness absence remains to a large extent unclear. The relation between work factors and the occurrence of sickness absence has been investigated in many studies. However, the results from studies of civil servants, [6][7][8][9][10][11] 38 have been reported to be associated with rates of sickness absence. However, in many of these studies, the results may have been confounded by socioeconomic and cultural differences between nurses' aides and other groups of healthcare workers, such as registered nurses. In several studies, only a few work factors were explored at a time; as work factors may be correlated, the identified associations may in fact be due to the effects of unmeasured work factors. The effects of positive challenges in the ...

Background: Nurses' aides (assistant nurses), the main providers of practical patient care in many countries, are doing both emotional and heavy physical work, and are exposed to frequent social encounters in their job. There is scarce knowledge, though, of how working conditions are related to psychological distress in this occupational group. The aim of this study was to identify work factors that predict the level of psychological distress in nurses' aides.

Data from a community-based 4-year prospective study were used to investigate job characteristics as predictors of neck pain. Of 1791 working responders who completed a questionnaire in 1990, 1429 (79.8%) returned a second questionnaire 4 years later (1994). In responders without neck pain during the previous 12 months in 1990, the "little influence on own work situation" factor predicted neck pain during the previous 12 months (odds ratio = 2.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.18 to 4.14) and previous 7 days in 1994 (OR = 2.85; 95% confidence interval, 1.21 to 6.73) after adjustment for a series of potential confounders. In responders with neck pain in 1990, the little influence on own work situation factor was associated with persistent neck pain 4 years later. The study indicates that having little influence on one's own work situation is a predictor of neck pain.