Incidence and Risk Factors of Neck Discomfort: A 6-month Sedentary-worker Cohort Study

• DOI: 10.1007/s10926-007-9076-1
• Publication Date: 2007-03-05T17:00:39Z
• Authors: Jau-Yih Tsauo; Yuh Jang; Chung-Li Du; Huey-Wen Liang
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Work; Neck Pain; Incidence; Taiwan; Workload; Health Surveys; Job Satisfaction; Occupational Diseases; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Risk Factors; Prevalence; Humans; Female; Follow-Up Studies

This study aimed to evaluate the six-month incidence and possible risk factors of neck discomfort among sedentary workers.Data, including demographic characteristics, work history, psychological characteristics and prevalent neck discomfort of 157 sedentary workers was collected by a questionnaire. A follow-up questionnaire was administered six months later to calculate the incidence of symptoms and related disability.The six-month incidence of neck discomfort was 23.5% (12/51). The two groups of prevalent and non-prevalent subjects showed no difference in demographic data and work characteristics except for work load (p<0.05) and score in "job control" in the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) (p<0.05). In logistic regression, light-load work (versus no-load work, OR = 0.10, p = 0.023) and higher score of 'job control' in JCQ (OR = 0.86, p = 0.031) were significant protecting factors.The six-month incidence rates of neck discomfort in our subjects were high. Light-load work and a higher score of 'job control' were important preventive factors. The results provide an epidemiological basis for prevention of neck discomfort in different working populations.