Evidence map›Paper›PMID 9538352›Full record

ArticleOccupational and environmental medicine1997

Selection related to musculoskeletal complaints among employees.

B C de Zwart, J P Broersen, A J van der Beek, M H Frings-Dresen, F J Van Dijk

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Occupational and environmental medicine, 1997. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Interrelations of risk factors and low back pain in scaffolders.Occupational and environmental medicine · 2001
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

B C de ZwartCoronel Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
J P Broersen
A J van der Beek
M H Frings-Dresen
F J Van Dijk

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo (a) describe differences in the outcome of cross sectional and longitudinal analysis on musculoskeletal complaints relative to age and work demands, and (b) to assess the entrance and drop out selection on musculoskeletal complaints among groups of employees relative to age and work demands.

methodsA study population was selected on the basis of questionnaire data from periodical occupational health surveys of almost 45,000 employees collected between 1982 and 1993. From all companies within this data base that participated twice in company wide surveys four years apart, male employees were selected, and stratified for age and work demands. There were several populations: follow up (participation in both surveys); drop out (participation only in the first survey); entrance (participation only at the second survey); and two cross sectional populations (all participants at each survey). Prevalences of back complaints and turnover rates were analysed.

resultsReported back complaints in the cross sectional analysis declined over the oldest age groups in heavy physical work versus a small increase in the longitudinal analysis. The age group 50-9 and back complaints were identified as predictors at the first survey for not participating at the second survey. Neither age nor work demands at the first survey indicated drop out among those employees with back complaints at the first survey. The effects of entrance selection on estimated prevalences were small.

conclusionsThe results indicate that musculoskeletal disorders lead to selection out of work, affecting the validity of both cross sectional and longitudinal epidemiological studies. In future studies analyses of turnover figures on musculoskeletal complaints relative to work demands and age are recommended.

Indexed as

Epidemiologic Research DesignPersonnel TurnoverAdultCross-Sectional StudiesHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedMusculoskeletal DiseasesNetherlandsOccupational DiseasesOccupationsOdds RatioPrevalenceRegression AnalysisRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID9538352
PMCPMC1128951

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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