Affiliations: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine,
University of Patras, Greece | Department of Nursing, Healthcare School, TEI of
Patras, Greece
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Eleni Jelastopulu, Department of
Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26500 Rio Patras,
Greece. Tel.: +30 2610 969878; Fax: +30 2610 996101; E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract: Objective: To investigate the relationships between physical,
psychosocial, and individual characteristics and occurrence, chronicity, care
seeking and absenteeism due to musculoskeletal complaints of the lower back and
knee. Methods and Participants: This was a cross-sectional study among
350 nursing personnel in six hospitals in South-West Greece. Data related to
physical and psychosocial workload, need for recovery, perceived general health
and other risk factors for occurrence of low-back and knee complaints were
collected. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated for all relevant risk factors. Results: Low-back and knee pain were reported by 51% and 23% of the
subjects, respectively. A high perceived physical exertion and a moderate/bad
perceived general health were the strongest risk factor for low-back and knee
pain. With regard to care seeking a moderate/bad perceived general health was
risk factor for both, low back and knee pain (OR=3.45 and OR=2.28;
respectively). Perceived moderate/bad general health (OR=2.90) and high
need for recovery (OR=2.78) were risk factors for absenteeism due to
low-back pain, whereas organizational factors, high job demands (OR=4.60)
and low co workers support (OR=3.13) for absenteeism due to knee pain. Age
exhibited a positive relation with the disability and care seeking for both
complaints although far stronger for knee. Conclusions: Compared to the
well-studied work related low back pain, knee complaints have been shown to
cause significant burden in nursing staff. Besides general health status of
individual workers, work-related psychosocial factors, like support and demand,
are related with the disability and care seeking for knee complaints.
