{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,27]],"date-time":"2026-09-27T15:05:24Z","timestamp":1790521524209,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"10","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Occup Environ Med"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1999,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>OBJECTIVES: To describe workers with low back symptoms, to identify risk factors and to assess the occupational consequences separately in men and women. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted between 1 October 1996 and 31 December 1996 in a sample of workers selected at random from all types of small companies in the Paris area. A group of 202 occupational physicians interviewed 7129 workers with a standardised questionnaire including the Nordic questionnaire. Data analysis was performed by sex in the two groups: with low back pain and without low back pain over the previous 12 months. The group with low back pain was then divided into four subgroups: mild cases (without referred pain), moderate cases (with referred pain above the knee), serious cases (with referred pain below the knee), and low back pain with occupational consequences. RESULTS: 7010 questionnaires were able to be evaluated. The sample consisted of 54.8% of men (3842) and 45.2% of women (3168), with a mean age of 37.8 and 37.0 years, respectively (p &lt; 0.05). The following risk factors occurred significantly more often in men: high weight, height, body mass index (BMI), smoking, number of children, increased driving time and work time, material handling tasks, uncomfortable working positions. Most women were clerks (53%). Non-conditional logistic regression applied to the whole sample identified female sex as a risk factor (odds ratio (OR) = 1.85, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.58 to 2.13). The following risk factors were common to both sexes: lifting weights &gt; 10 kg, in women (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.25) and in men (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.53), uncomfortable working positions (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.58 to 2.17 and OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.69 to 2.43), and absence of means to achieve good quality work (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.63 and OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.65), respectively. Driving was a risk factor only in men and its importance increased with driving time (driving &gt; 4 hours a day (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.09)). Severe low back pain was linked to female sex (10.2% of women v 6.6% of men), high BMI, aging, and uncomfortable working positions. Low back pain with occupational consequences (n = 258) was not linked to sex, but only to aging and severity. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and severity of low back pain were higher in women, although they seemed to be less exposed to known occupational risk factors. However, our results indicate a preponderance of these risk factors among female workers. Particular attention must therefore be paid to lifting of weights and uncomfortable working positions in female jobs (clerk, trading, health care staff).<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/oem.56.10.696","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2009,1,1]],"date-time":"2009-01-01T00:13:30Z","timestamp":1230768810000},"page":"696-701","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":69,"title":["Analysis by sex of low back pain among workers from small companies in the Paris area: severity and occupational consequences."],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"56","author":[{"given":"J","family":"Alcouffe","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"P","family":"Manillier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"M","family":"Brehier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"C","family":"Fabin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"F","family":"Faupin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1999,10,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.5271\/sjweh.1728","article-title":"Low back pain, its origin and risk indicators","volume":"17","author":"Riihim\u00e4cki, H.","year":"1991","unstructured":"Riihim\u00e4cki H. Low back pain, its origin and risk indicators. Scand J Work Environ Health 1991;17:81\u201390.","journal-title":"Scand J Work Environ Health"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"420","DOI":"10.5271\/sjweh.1680","article-title":"Interaction of height and mechanical loading of the spine in the development of low back pain","volume":"17","author":"Walsh, K.; Cruddas, M.; Coggon, D.","year":"1991","unstructured":"Walsh K, Cruddas M, Coggon D. Interaction of height and mechanical loading of the spine in the development of low back pain. Scand J Work Environ Health 1991;17:420\u20134.","journal-title":"Scand J Work Environ Health"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.5271\/sjweh.1614","article-title":"Low back pain in commercial travellers","volume":"18","author":"Pietri, F.; Leclerc, A.; Boitel, L.","year":"1992","unstructured":"Pietri F, Leclerc A, Boitel L, et al. Low back pain in commercial travellers. 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Occupational risk factors for low back pain among sedentary workers. J Occup Med 1993;35:1213\u201320.","journal-title":"J Occup Med"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.5271\/sjweh.1419","article-title":"Psychosocial stressors at work and musculoskeletal problems","volume":"20","author":"Houtman, I.; Bongers, P.; Smulders, P.","year":"1994","unstructured":"Houtman I, Bongers P, Smulders P, et al. Psychosocial stressors at work and musculoskeletal problems. Scand J Work Environ Health 1994;20:139\u201345.","journal-title":"Scand J Work Environ Health"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"130","DOI":"10.5271\/sjweh.190","article-title":"Associations between self rated psychosocial work conditions and musculoskeletal symptoms and signs","volume":"23","author":"Toomingas, A.; Theorell, T.; Michelsen, H.","year":"1997","unstructured":"Toomingas A, Theorell T, Michelsen H, et al. 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Scand J Work Environ Health 1995;21:401\u20133.","journal-title":"Scand J Work Environ Health"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"937","DOI":"10.1097\/00043764-199710000-00005","article-title":"Length of disability and cost of workers compensation low back pain claims","volume":"39","author":"Hashemi, L.; Webster, B.; Clancy, E.","year":"1997","unstructured":"Hashemi L, Webster B, Clancy E, et al. Length of disability and cost of workers compensation low back pain claims. J Occup Environ Med 1997;39:937\u201345.","journal-title":"J Occup Environ Med"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"973","DOI":"10.1097\/00043764-199610000-00006","article-title":"Regional back pain: predicament at home, nemesis at work","volume":"38","author":"Hadler, N.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Hadler N. Regional back pain: predicament at home, nemesis at work. 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Comparison of methods for the assessment of postural load on the back. Scand J Work Environ Health 1991;17:425\u20139.","journal-title":"Scand J Work Environ Health"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.5271\/sjweh.139","article-title":"Validity of self-reported physical work load in epidemiologic studies on musculoskeletal disorders","volume":"22","author":"Viikari-Juintura, E.; Rauas, S.; Martikainen, R.","year":"1996","unstructured":"Viikari-Juintura E, Rauas S, Martikainen R, et al. Validity of self-reported physical work load in epidemiologic studies on musculoskeletal disorders. Scand J Work Environ Health 1996;22:251\u20139.","journal-title":"Scand J Work Environ Health"}],"container-title":["Occupational and Environmental Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/oem.56.10.696","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,23]],"date-time":"2024-05-23T17:04:26Z","timestamp":1716483866000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/oem.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/oem.56.10.696"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[1999,10]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[1999,10,1]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[1999,10]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/oem.56.10.696"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/oem.56.10.696","relation":{},"ISSN":["1351-0711","1470-7926"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1351-0711","type":"print"},{"value":"1470-7926","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[1999,10]]}}}