Psychosocial risk factors of pain among employees.

The study of psychosocial risk factors of pain among employees has typically focused on Karasek's job-demand-control model. The aim of the study was to examine the own and independent associations of job strain, organizational justice, workplace bullying, and work-home interface with pain. Data were collected through a postal survey to all 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki in 2001 and 2002 (response rate 66%, N=5819, 80% women). Pain was measured with a three category outcome: no pain, acute pain or chronic pain. Adjustment was made for age, education, physical working conditions, BMI, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Among women, all psychosocial variables were associated with both acute and chronic pain when adjusted for confounders only. When psychosocial factors were additionally adjusted for each other, high job strain and both dimensions of work-home interface remained associated with both types of pain and repeatedly occurring bullying at workplace showed association with acute pain. Among men, when adjusted for confounders only, all psychosocial variables were associated with acute and chronic pain, except for family-to-work conflicts among those with acute pain. When adjusted mutually for all psychosocial variables, only bullying was associated with acute pain. Job strain and organizational justice showed associations with chronic pain. Future studies would benefit from a broad psychosocial framework. Investments to healthier psychosocial working environments are needed to tackle pain related problems among employees.