Abstract

MANENT BISTUE, Ignasi; RAMADA RODILLA, José María  and  SERRA PUJADAS, Consol. Musculoskeletal disorders and temporary disability: Characteristics and duration. Catalonia, 2007-2010. Arch Prev Riesgos Labor [online]. 2016, vol.19, n.4, pp.222-230. ISSN 1578-2549.  https://dx.doi.org/10.12961/aprl.2016.19.04.3.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are the leading cause of sickness absence (SA) in Spain and the second in Catalonia. A greater knowledge of this field could allow the refocusing of social protection policies and interventions to reduce their frequency and duration. The objective of the study was to describe the characteristics and duration of SA due to MSD in Catalonia between 2007 and 2010. Methods: The study population included all incident SA episodes due to MSD during the period 2007-2010, registered in the Institut Català d'Avaluacions Mèdiques (ICAM) database. We selected the 10 most frequent MSD (824.646 episodes) and extracted 607.732 (74%) SA episodes. We calculated the median duration of SA and analyzed the differences with Mann-Whitney U or Kruskal-Wallis tests, and studied the differences with a post-hoc test. We also conducted a survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: The most frequent MSD were low back pain and neck pain. Median duration was greater for gonarthrosis and calcific tendonitis of the shoulder. The median duration of SA episodes was greater when pain was due to an organic disorder, in women (Z=51770950,5; p<0,001), increased with age (K=17335,72; p<0,001), and was longer in self-employed workers (Z=20965263,1; p<0.001) and in those working in agriculture and livestock (K=736,822; p<0,001). Conclusions: This study shows that the median duration of SA caused by MSD is influenced by the diagnosis, sex, age, type of work and type of social protection.

Keywords : Musculoskeletal pain; low back pain; neck pain; sick leave; occupational health.

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