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Level of education and back pain in France: the role of demographic, lifestyle and physical work factors

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International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the pathways from level of education to low back pain (LBP) in the adult population, especially concerning the role of physical working constraints, and personal factors (overweight, tobacco consumption, and tallness).

Methods

The study population consisted of 15,534 subjects from the National Health Survey, with data on LBP, level of education, personal factors, and physical working constraints. Logistic models for LBP (pain more than 30 days during the previous 12 months) were compared in order to check the consistency of the data with specific causal pathways.

Results

Low back pain was strongly associated with level of education. This association was almost completely explained if present or past exposure to tiring work postures and handling of heavy loads were taken into account. For men, the OR for “no diploma”, adjusted only for age, was 1.75; it was 1.02 after additional adjustment on physical work factors. Personal factors played also a role, especially overweight for women. Among them, the OR associated with a body mass index = 27 or more was 1.58 after adjustment on all the other factors.

Conclusions

In this national population the main pathways from education to LBP were through occupational exposure and lifestyle factors.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Mission de la Recherche, French Ministry of Health. This study has been conducted in accordance with the French and European legislation concerning ethical standards and protection of confidentiality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INSERM, U687, Villejuif, France

    Annette Leclerc, Julie Gourmelen, Jean-François Chastang, Sandrine Plouvier, Isabelle Niedhammer & Jean-Louis Lanoë

  2. Hôpital Paul Brousse, 16 Avenue PV Couturier, Bat 15/16, 94807, Villejuif Cedex, France

    Annette Leclerc

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  1. Annette Leclerc
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  2. Julie Gourmelen
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  3. Jean-François Chastang
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  4. Sandrine Plouvier
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  5. Isabelle Niedhammer
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  6. Jean-Louis Lanoë
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Correspondence to Annette Leclerc.

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Leclerc, A., Gourmelen, J., Chastang, JF. et al. Level of education and back pain in France: the role of demographic, lifestyle and physical work factors. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 82, 643–652 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0375-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0375-4

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