Precarious employment, strenuous working conditions and the long-term risk of diagnosed chronic musculoskeletal disorders
(2024) In Occupational and Environmental Medicine 81(12). p.595-602- Abstract
Objectives To investigate the effect of precarious employment (PE) on the risk of diagnosed chronic musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among Swedish workers in occupations with strenuous working conditions. Methods This nationwide register-based cohort study included workers registered as living in Sweden in 2005, aged 21-60 at the 2010 baseline. Three samples were included: workers with high biomechanical workload (n=680 841), repetitive work (n=659 422) or low job control (n=703 645). PE was evaluated using the SWE-ROPE (2.0) construct, which includes: contractual insecurity, temporariness, multiple jobs, income and collective bargaining agreement from 2010. Three exposure groups were created: PE, substandard and standard employment... (More)
Objectives To investigate the effect of precarious employment (PE) on the risk of diagnosed chronic musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among Swedish workers in occupations with strenuous working conditions. Methods This nationwide register-based cohort study included workers registered as living in Sweden in 2005, aged 21-60 at the 2010 baseline. Three samples were included: workers with high biomechanical workload (n=680 841), repetitive work (n=659 422) or low job control (n=703 645). PE was evaluated using the SWE-ROPE (2.0) construct, which includes: contractual insecurity, temporariness, multiple jobs, income and collective bargaining agreement from 2010. Three exposure groups were created: PE, substandard and standard employment (SE). MSD data were obtained from outpatient registers (2011-2020). Cox proportional-hazards models estimated crude and adjusted sex-specific HRs with 95% CIs. Various outcomes were investigated for the different samples. Results Among workers with heavy biomechanical workload, results suggest increased risks of back MSDs in PE compared with those in SE. No association was found between PE and tendonitis in repetitive work, but PE was associated with an increased Carpal Tunnel Syndrome risk among men. Among workers with low job control, PE was associated with increased risks of soft tissue disorders among men and fibromyalgia among women. Conclusions PE was associated with an increased risk of MSDs among workers with strenuous working conditions, with variations depending on disorder and sex. The findings suggest a differential exposure to biomechanical workload within occupations. Targeted interventions and strengthened workplace safety regulations are needed to protect the musculoskeletal health of workers in PE.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Back Pain, Longitudinal studies, Musculoskeletal System, Occupational Health, Upper Extremity
- in
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine
- volume
- 81
- issue
- 12
- pages
- 8 pages
- publisher
- BMJ Publishing Group
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85214355970
- pmid:39715633
- ISSN
- 1351-0711
- DOI
- 10.1136/oemed-2024-109867
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- e9134094-e341-4a44-86e8-c7309d665eee
- date added to LUP
- 2025-03-12 15:25:36
- date last changed
- 2025-07-17 11:27:46
@article{e9134094-e341-4a44-86e8-c7309d665eee,
abstract = {{<p>Objectives To investigate the effect of precarious employment (PE) on the risk of diagnosed chronic musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among Swedish workers in occupations with strenuous working conditions. Methods This nationwide register-based cohort study included workers registered as living in Sweden in 2005, aged 21-60 at the 2010 baseline. Three samples were included: workers with high biomechanical workload (n=680 841), repetitive work (n=659 422) or low job control (n=703 645). PE was evaluated using the SWE-ROPE (2.0) construct, which includes: contractual insecurity, temporariness, multiple jobs, income and collective bargaining agreement from 2010. Three exposure groups were created: PE, substandard and standard employment (SE). MSD data were obtained from outpatient registers (2011-2020). Cox proportional-hazards models estimated crude and adjusted sex-specific HRs with 95% CIs. Various outcomes were investigated for the different samples. Results Among workers with heavy biomechanical workload, results suggest increased risks of back MSDs in PE compared with those in SE. No association was found between PE and tendonitis in repetitive work, but PE was associated with an increased Carpal Tunnel Syndrome risk among men. Among workers with low job control, PE was associated with increased risks of soft tissue disorders among men and fibromyalgia among women. Conclusions PE was associated with an increased risk of MSDs among workers with strenuous working conditions, with variations depending on disorder and sex. The findings suggest a differential exposure to biomechanical workload within occupations. Targeted interventions and strengthened workplace safety regulations are needed to protect the musculoskeletal health of workers in PE.</p>}},
author = {{Badarin, Kathryn and Mangot-Sala, Lluís and Matilla Santander, Nuria and Kreshpaj, Bertina and Hernando Rodríguez, Julio César and Aronsson, Amanda Emma and Kvart, Signild and Thern, Emelie and Gunn, Virginia and Ostergren, Per Olof and Julia, Mireia and Baron, Sherry and Muntaner, Carles and Wegman, David H. and Bodin, Theo}},
issn = {{1351-0711}},
keywords = {{Back Pain; Longitudinal studies; Musculoskeletal System; Occupational Health; Upper Extremity}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{12}},
pages = {{595--602}},
publisher = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
series = {{Occupational and Environmental Medicine}},
title = {{Precarious employment, strenuous working conditions and the long-term risk of diagnosed chronic musculoskeletal disorders}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2024-109867}},
doi = {{10.1136/oemed-2024-109867}},
volume = {{81}},
year = {{2024}},
}